October 2 marks the anniversary of the founding of Opus Dei by St. Josemaria Escriva in 1928. St. Josemaria saw and understood that the laity, not only priests and religious, are called by God to a life of holiness through their work, family, and personal interests, married or single. He set out to found Opus Dei as a means to offer a spirituality for the laity and the means to help them persevere in their calling to live and work as one more in the world.

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo talks about Opus Dei—its beginnings and mission—and explains the essence of the vocation to holiness, specifically the vocation to Opus Dei. He also explains what it means to have a secular outlook—a characteristic of the lay faithful who are called to sanctify temporal affairs in the world by bringing Christ into that world.

Today Opus Dei has thousands of members around the world and many more who are just discovering it and want to know more about it. If you would like a brief introduction to Opus Dei, what is is and does, this talk is for you.

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Ninety years ago, on October 2nd, God showed Opus Dei to the young St. Josemaria Escriva. It happened in an instant, he fell to his knees dazzled by all that God had just showed him. On this anniversary, our desire is not simply to celebrate this milestone in the history of Opus Dei but also to learn from the operating system of this faithful instrument of God’s providence. To relive the path taken by St. Josemaria will help us to desire the virtue of magnanimity—greatness of spirit and largeness of heart—a genuine craving for great and noble ambitions and adventures:St. Josemaria Escriva realized early on that God had a plan for him, that He wanted something from him. How could he find the answer? Where should he seek it? He set out to search above all by listening to the Word of God.Sacred Scripture, the Word of God, speaks to us today and we need to seek out our place in it to find our path.

“Magnanimity means greatness of spirit, a largeness of heart wherein many can find refuge. Magnanimity gives us the energy to break out of ourselves and be prepared to undertake generous tasks which will be of benefit to all. Small-mindedness has no home in the magnanimous heart, nor has meanness, nor egoistic calculation, nor self-interested trickery. The magnanimous person devotes all his strength, unstintingly, to what is worthwhile. As a result he is capable of giving himself. He is not content with merely giving. He gives his very self. He thus comes to understand that the greatest expression of magnanimity consists in giving oneself to God” (St. Josemaria Escriva; Friends of God, no. 80).

What was the secret that would not let St. Josemaria slow down? An overwhelming sense of being a child of God and the confidence and boldness that this reality entails.Tell Our Lord: “I really have no idea of the undiscovered qualities that I have—maybe this is my chance to discover the hidden greatness in me. This is a chance for me to be ready for great undertakings and to pass on to young people a great openness and eagerness for great ideas.”A resolution from this reflection: “To protect our times of prayer ferociously.”

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Today on the podcast... In celebration of the anniversary of the founding of Opus Dei (October 2, 1928), we reflect on the early life of St. Josemaria Escriva and the historical circumstances that led him to receive the special light from God to found Opus Dei.

This light from God helped St. Josemaria to see:It is possible to create a civilization of love—to bring Jesus Christ in a new way into the very heart of the world amid a culture that is antithetical to the Gospel.God was giving St. Josemaria the grace to change the world should he choose to follow this light and its certain path.The burden of changing the world falls on the shoulders of lay men and women who are called to bring Christ into the modern world.

The transformation of the world can only happen if the laity are saints, if they are true contemplatives—someone who is habitually in dialogue with the Lord. But if they are not true contemplatives then they will be transformed by the world.As St. Josemaria Escriva wrote:“How I wish your bearing and conversation were such that, on seeing or hearing you, people would say: This man reads the life of Jesus Christ” (St. Josemaria Escriva; The Way, no. 2).“You must inspire others with love of God and zeal for souls, so that they in turn will set on fire many more who are on a third plane and each of these latter spread the flame to their professional companions. What a lot of spiritual calories you need! And what a tremendous responsibility if you let yourself grow cold! And — I don't even want to think of it — what a terrible crime if you were to give bad example!” (St. Josemaria Escriva; The Way, no. 944).

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Fr. Peter Armenio, an Opus Dei priest, reminds us that St. Josemaria was inspired by the light of God with the mission to bring Christ into the heart of the entire world in a way that He had never been before. Into a world that is gripped by a culture of death; to be healed by the intervention of God’s Mercy. “God is the same as always. It is men of faith that are needed: and then, there will be a renewal of the wonders we read of in the Gospel” (St. Josemaria; The Way, no. 586).

Faith filled children of God are called to participate in this beautiful mission. We are to replicate both the joy and the affection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This can be done if first a well formed interior life of prayer is established, for it is our prayer life that exudes this joy, the light of Christ. Fr. Peter refers to what St. Gregory Nazianzen wrote in his Oration #39 that, “[God] wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shinning in the world.” This is no ordinary light he speaks of; it is a light in which we are bathed in the glory of God. Let us ask Our Blessed Mother Mary to help us enter into the light, the light of her Son, which is nothing more and nothing less than the Mercy of God.

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In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio, priest of Opus Dei, reflects upon joy as the foundation for all evangelization and how living joy in our daily lives can lead others to encounter Christ. The particular role of the laity in bringing Christ to the world, especially in the places we live and work, requires that we not only bring the truth of the Gospel to all those who we encounter, but that we always lead with joy and witness to the happiness found in our friendship with Jesus. Fr. Peter, using the example of the saints, shows that authentic joy is not artificial, but is a happiness which results from having the fullness of joy within you. This joy is easily perceived by others and is fueled by our friendship with Jesus. In order to increase our joy, we can more intentionally abide with the Lord through the Eucharist, mental prayer, the rosary, the cross, and through our effort of the love others.

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In this meditation for October 2, a special anniversary in the life of St Josemaria, Fr Javier del Castillo explains how God showed St Josemaria his vocation to be the founder of Opus Dei and the prayers and circumstances that led up to that moment. Inspired by this anniversary, Fr Javier explains how we too are lead to ask ourselves: "What does God want of me?" "What does He want me to do?" And he offers practical ways in which we can answer those questions through our daily life and work.

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