Father Chevrier regarded Saint Paul as the model of the apostle, the model of the priest. Whilst poring over the Gospels, he never ceased to listen to what the Holy Spirit might reveal to him through his study of Paul’s writings. It is this work that continues here in a sustained meditation on the ministry of the Apostle to the Nations. Saint Paul is this man «chosen by God» who is aware of having been «set apart» by Him on the road to Damascus, who matured in his faith in the house of Ananias for a single purpose: «to proclaim the Gospel» to the world. The Acts of the Apostles show him being sent out with Silas on an initial mission to Samaria, then to Asia Minor, and finally to the very heart of the empire. He took the great Roman roads and sought out places where people gathered. Here, these were the synagogues, where he revealed the new covenant to the people of the covenant; and then there he was in the squares and on the roads, by the riverbank and in the theatres. In this, he imitated the Master, who went into synagogues and homes, as well as to the temple or the well’s edge. Like Jesus, Paul sought out men and women moved by the Holy Spirit. In this study of the Gospel, we shall focus on understanding how Paul lived out his ministry and identify some of its key characteristics.

I – PAUL: A MINISTRY OF FOUNDATION THROUGH THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL

I.1 – Whenever Paul arrived in a community, he sought to understand and connect with the people to whom he had been sent. Thus, with regard to the Corinthians «Yes, though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win as many as possible. I have become like a Jew to the Jews, so that I might win over the Jews; to those under the Law I became as one under the Law—though I myself am not under the Law—so that I might win over those under the Law. I have become like one without the Law to those without the Law — though I am not without God’s Law, being under the Law of Christ — so that I might win those without the Law. I have become weak with the weak, so that I might win the weak. I have made myself all things to all people, so that by all possible means I might save some. And I do all this for the sake of the Gospel.» (1 Cor 9:19–22). He considers the people to whom the Word is addressed. He speaks in a Jewish manner to the Jews, explaining the coming of the Messiah through the history of the Hebrew people. Thus, in Pisidian Antioch, he reviews the whole of Scripture. He shows how God speaks to his people and acts on their behalf, leading up to Jesus, whom God raised from the dead: «We, too, bring you this good news: God has fully fulfilled the promise made to the fathers in our favour, their children, when he raised Jesus from the dead.» (Acts 13) But when speaking to the Gentiles, he refers to the God of creation, of heaven, of earth and of the stars. «Friends, what are you doing here? We, too, are human beings, subject to the same fate as you; we are here to urge you to turn away from all these worthless idols and turn instead to the living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. In past generations, he allowed all nations to follow their own ways; yet he did not fail to bear witness to himself through his blessings, sending you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling your hearts with food and joy…» (Acts 14:15–17).

I.2 – He always sought to graft the Good News of the Gospel onto religious knowledge and onto a particular way of understanding the world, for God has been at work ever since the creation of the world. When he came to Athens, he sought to engage with Greek wisdom, but his message was not well received; in Corinth, he listened to the common people – the poor, with little education. He knew just how vast the city was, with the diverse cultures typical of major ports. Were there 500,000 citizens, slaves, prostitutes, rich and poor? Perhaps not, but the city was very large, with a cosmopolitan population, its trade and its loose morals. To this city, marked by various forms of poverty, he decided to proclaim the poor and crucified Christ. In this way, he sought to reveal the face of the poor Christ to the Corinthians so that, through their own poverty, they might come to know this equally surprising God. «For I, brothers, when I came to you, did not come to proclaim to you the mystery of God with eloquent speech or human wisdom. No, I resolved to know nothing amongst you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I myself came to you in weakness, in fear and trembling; my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God. » (1 Cor 2:1–5).

I.3 – Paul then expresses a deep conviction: ultimately, the foundation of a community is the person of Christ. He says so himself in chapter 3 «In accordance with the grace of God that has been given to me, like a skilled architect, I have laid the foundation. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.» (1 Cor 3). The foundational ministry of a Pauline community is to ensure that Christ is the foundation and the starting point of both the life of a disciple and community life. How he would wish that all the Gentiles might have access to such grace! He who sees himself as sent to preach to all the Gentiles «obedience born of faith» (Romans 1:5).

• Do we take enough time to look at the human situation in a country, a town, a neighbourhood or a village – the attitudes and everything that shapes people’s lives? What effort do we make to listen and to exercise spiritual discernment, with a view to establishing the Church of God amongst those furthest from the faith and the poorest?

• Paul knew how to make himself approachable – a Jew amongst Jews, a Greek amongst Greeks – so that the message might be heard and people might come to believe «in communion with the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord» (1 Cor 1:2–9). How closely does this relate to our ministry?

• We hear Father Chevrier say: «We must therefore build on Jesus Christ, on his word, and put it into practice, and our house will be built on the rock» VD 103 «It is this that we must seek and establish as the foundation of everything» VD 103, Ms X 21

II – PAUL: A PASTORAL MINISTRY OF ACCOMPANIMENT AND EDIFICATION

II.1 – When Paul establishes a community, he does not abandon it. He stands by it, especially when the situation is difficult. The situation amongst the Corinthians is precarious. The small community is made up of poor people and is riven by internal divisions (1:10–12 and 3:3–4), troubled by the misconduct and debauchery of some of its members (5:1 ff., 6:9–10 and 18), by problems with the Gentiles over meat sacrificed to idols (8 and 10), and a dispute has arisen concerning the ministry (1 Cor. 9 and 2).

II.2 – This is the reason for his constant apostolic efforts. He sends letters – four, no doubt, to the Corinthians – and one of them has no effect. He then sent Timothy (1 Cor 4:17), who helped to sort out the problems, reminding them of «the principles of life in Christ» (1 Cor 4:17) and that «The kingdom of God consists not in words, but in deeds» (1 Cor 4:20). Paul himself sends this first canonical letter, in which he attempts to respond point by point in order to restore the community to the spirit of the covenant. He does so with confidence. Let us take an example: the case of misconduct. «Purge out the old leaven,’ he writes, ‘for Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed’ (1 Cor 5:7). ‘Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit?’ (1 Cor 6:15 and 19). Let us take the example of relations with the Gentiles. Paul writes: «For us, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things come and to whom we are heading, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist and through whom we are.» (1 Cor 8:6) and adds a guide for those who have discovered the newness of faith: «Because of your knowledge, the weak brother perishes—the brother for whom Christ died» (1 Cor 8:11); «By wounding the conscience of the weak, you are sinning against Christ» (1 Cor 8:11). Let us consider the case of praying in tongues: what is the point of praying to God if the prayer does not help to edify the brothers and sisters through enlightened thanksgiving, or if it causes offence to those who are not initiated? «Let everything be done in a way that builds others up» says Paul. (1 Cor 14:26) And he adds: «God is not a God of disorder but of peace» (1 Cor 14:33).

II.3 – Through these examples, we can see how Paul works to set the Corinthians back on the path of discipleship. He does not, first and foremost, lecture them. Instead, he refocuses their attention on God’s plan, on the mystery of Christ, and on the importance of respecting our poor brothers and sisters; on these points, he is particularly insistent in chapter 10 (14–31), highlighting the newness of the Passover meal, the freedom of God’s children and, at the same time, the need to respect others: ««Everything is permissible»; but not everything is beneficial. «Everything is permissible»; but not everything builds others up. Let no one seek their own interests, but the interests of others.» (1 Cor 10:23–24). 2.4 – All these efforts are aimed at communicating the life of Christ. Titus is sent to Corinth once more, but the situation has scarcely changed. Paul then decides to set out for Corinth (2 Cor 13:2), but a confrontation ensues. He leaves abruptly. It is in this letter, the second canonical epistle, written «with tears», that he explains himself, setting out his ministry amongst them. He sends Titus once more (2 Cor 2:13). The mission will be successful (2 Cor 7:13). Another letter, and another visit from Paul. He is determined that the community should be built up in Christ. «It is before God in Christ that we speak. And all this, beloved, is for your edification» (2 Cor 12:29). He himself took care to work with his own hands so as not to create any obstacle to the reception of the Word of God. He was a burden to no one (2 Cor 9) and did not make use of his rights as an apostle: it is a ministry of selfless service that he wishes to offer: «Yes, woe betide me if I do not preach the Gospel! If I were to undertake this task of my own accord, I would be entitled to a reward; but since I do not, it is a responsibility entrusted to me. What, then, is my reward? It is that, in proclaiming the Gospel, I offer the Gospel freely, without making use of the right conferred on me by the Gospel.». This is a painful birth, undertaken out of fidelity to God’s plan and out of love for the community; and all this amidst suffering: «Hard work and weariness, frequent sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, repeated fasting, cold and nakedness! Not to mention the rest: my daily preoccupation, my concern for all the churches! If anyone is weak, am I not weak? If anyone stumbles, am I not consumed by fire?» (2 Cor 11:27–29). And this begetting is an act of the risen Christ acting «in the person» of Paul: «Since you are seeking proof that Christ speaks through me—he who is not weak towards you, but who is powerful amongst you. True, he was crucified because of his weakness, but he lives by the power of God. And we too are weak in him, of course, but we shall live with him, by the power of God towards you.» (2 Cor 13). This process of bringing forth consists, through a life of compassion, in bringing into being people who are like Christ, people in the image of Christ: «Even if you had thousands of teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for it is I who, through the Gospel, have begotten you in Christ Jesus. I urge you, therefore, to follow my example» (1 Cor 4:15). 2.5 – We then enter into Paul’s contemplative perspective, filled with faith in the working of the Spirit at the very heart of his endeavours: «You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all people. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ entrusted to our ministry, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, on your hearts.» And he adds «It is not because of any personal ability that we can take credit for; our ability comes from God». Contemplative and a co-worker with the Spirit! Such is Paul’s bond with the community. We find this same attachment to the community, born of the Spirit, right from the start of Paul’s apostolic ministry. After being flogged in Iconium, he returned there some time later to strengthen the fledgling community: «After proclaiming the Good News in that town and making a considerable number of disciples there, they travelled back via Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. There they strengthened the hearts of the disciples and encouraged them to remain steadfast in the faith:’ «We must,» they said, ‘endure many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. In each church they appointed elders for them, offered prayers accompanied by fasting, and entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had placed their faith.’ (Acts 14). When Paul passed through Miletus, he recounted how he had spared no effort to «to teach Jews and Greeks, in public» and in private, the mystery of God, so that, through his testimony of «to turn to him and believe in our Lord Jesus» (Acts 14:21). And he goes on to say «So I can testify before you today that I am innocent of the blood of all of them. I have truly neglected nothing; on the contrary, I have proclaimed to you the full plan of God» (Acts 20). Corinth, Iconium, Miletus: places where we come to understand Paul’s concern for all the churches, for those whom he brings to the faith, «the seal of my apostleship» (1 Cor 9:2). Like a shepherd, he cares for the flock, refocusing it on the true Shepherd and on the brothers and sisters, especially the poorest among them. He labours for the flock entrusted to him.

• We might ask ourselves: what kind of love do we show to the communities entrusted to us and to which we have dedicated ourselves? What keeps us going in times of hardship?

• What kind of ministry of community leadership, in the name of the risen Christ, are we practising? (Edification, accompaniment, guiding people back onto the path of the Gospel – in what way do we «take them back», to use Father Chevrier’s expression?)

• «Bringing forth in Christ»: what does this mean for our ministry?

• What new insights into Father Chevrier’s ministry are we being led to discover?

III – PAUL: A MINISTRY OF TRAINING COMMUNITY LEADERS

III.1 – Paul has a sense of the long term; he appoints leaders whom he commends to the Lord. We see this during his ministry in Asia. «In each church, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders, offered prayers accompanied by fasting, and commended them to the Lord, in whom they had placed their faith » (14:23). Paul appoints elders in whom he discerns faith and who are filled with the Holy Spirit; he strengthens their faith through prayer and fasting, before entrusting them to the Lord, in a bond of belonging. Paul is then able to leave Iconium knowing that it is the Lord who will be their support, just as he would leave Miletus by commending the leaders «to God and to his word of grace, which has the power to build up the church and to secure the inheritance for all those who are sanctified » (Acts 20:32).

III.2 – However, by entrusting these leaders to God and to his plan of salvation for humanity, Paul urges them, in his own words, to be vigilant themselves in two respects. Firstly, he urges them to watch over themselves by cherishing the grace of God bestowed upon them and the trust of the Gospel entrusted to them. «Watch over yourselves», that is to say, watch over what you have become through grace and by calling. Next, he urges them to watch over the whole flock, to «take care of the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers » (Acts 2:28). Is it not, he tells them, the whole Church of God that is to be nourished according to the plan of his grace, this Church which he has acquired through his own blood? » He forms God’s apostles to be contemplatives within his community: it bears the mark of God, in the blood of Christ. God has worked his will within it; it belongs to God.

III.3 – In this way, he opens the eyes of those in charge to the magnitude of this service: that of feeding such a people, saved and sanctified by the blood of Christ. Paul’s ministry, «marked with the seal of the Spirit» appears to be that of a witness devoted to this people, saved by the blood of Christ, who calls on leaders to follow his example: «Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ» (1 Cor 11:1), he, Paul, bearing in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus« passion: »I bear in my body the marks of Jesus’ (Galatians 6:17). 

This raises the question for us: How do we train community leaders in the manner of Paul, in a way that involves discernment, immersion in prayer, asceticism, an awareness of belonging to God, an awareness of the mystery of the Church, and an appreciation of the greatness of serving such a mystery?

IV – PAUL: A MINISTRY SHARED WITH COLLEAGUES

No doubt Paul’s temperament was not always easy for his colleagues to deal with. Yet he often carried out his ministry alongside colleagues of whom he speaks fondly. Let us consider Titus «my brother» (2 Cor 2:13), «my partner and my colleague» (2 Cor 8:23); «Thanks be to God, who has put the same zeal for you into Titus’s heart» (2 Cor 8:16); «Have we not walked in the same spirit?» (2 Cor 12:18). Timothy is described as «as a beloved and faithful child in the Lord; it will remind you of my principles for living in Christ» (1 Cor 4:17). And then there is Silas (Acts 18:5) and that other (unidentified) brother, of whom «The churches are singing the praises of the Gospel» (2 Cor 8:18), that «whose zeal we have often, on many occasions, experienced» (2 Cor 8:22); (2 Cor 12:18). In many towns, Paul liked to work alongside fellow believers who had come to Christ. For him, they were witnesses to the Gospel and partners in his apostolic work. In Corinth, we encounter a number of people: Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:2 and 18, and 16:19), Titius Justus (Acts 18:7), Crispus (Acts 18:8), Sosthenes (Acts 18:17 and 1 Cor 1:1), the household of Chloe (1 Cor 1:11), Apollos (1 Cor 16:12), Stephanas and his family (1 Cor 16:15); Fortunatus and Archaicus (1 Cor 16:17). This shared ministry is a team effort. Each person, according to their circumstances, plays a part in the mission. In this way, the Gospel is spread from one Gospel relay to the next.

• Many of our fields of mission amongst the poor are similar to that of Corinth. The Gospel struggles to touch people’s hearts, mindsets and the structures of society. What sort of co-workers are we looking for to bring the Gospel as close as possible to people’s lives, and how do we go about finding them?
• How do we train them? How do we work with them in a spirit of brotherly love? (Particularly in countries where there are Pastoral Animation Teams)

V – PAUL: A MINISTRY OF COMMUNION WITH CHRIST, THE SERVANT OF THE FATHER’S PLAN

Paul is acutely aware that, together with his companions, «servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.» (1 Cor 4:1). In no way does it «seeks glory and does not value his life» (Acts 20). He is a man who, in the words of Father Chevrier, «wishes to be like his Master», carrying out the Father’s work.

V.1 – That is why we see Paul setting out as a missionary: «In Antioch, in the local church, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen—a childhood friend of Herod the Tetrarch—and Saul. One day, whilst they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said: «Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So, after fasting and praying, and laying their hands on them, they sent them off» (Acts 13). At the beginning of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul himself reveals his apostolic identity: «Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God» (1 Cor 1:1) (see also Rom 1:1: «Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, an apostle by calling, set apart to proclaim the Gospel of God».

V.2 – We see him once again obeying the Holy Spirit in the course of events. In Pisidia, when the Jews rejected him, he turned to the Gentiles: «Paul and Barnabas then had the courage to declare: “It was to you first that the word of God should have been spoken! Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles”» (Acts 13). In the conflict that led to him being brought before the emperor for trial, he saw «the opportunity» (Rom 1:10) – the task entrusted to him of bringing the Gospel to Rome. He allows himself to be guided by the Spirit.

V.3 – Even in his apostolic sufferings, he wishes to be like his Master. «At the moment, As we read in the Letter to the Colossians, »I find my joy in the sufferings I endure for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his Body, which is the Church’ (Col 1). In this way, he is in harmony with and familiar with the language of the cross. «The message of the cross is, indeed, folly to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved—to us—it is the wisdom of God» (1 Cor 1:18). Paul then preached with confidence and without fear «A crucified Messiah—a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles—but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.».

V.4 – He preaches in the confidence that the crucified and risen Lord finds a welcome amongst the poor. They are the «the called», the «chosen» of God: «Consider, brothers and sisters, who you are, you who have been called by God: there are not many of you who are wise by human standards, nor many who are powerful, nor many of noble birth. But God has chosen what the world regards as foolish to put the wise to shame; God has chosen what the world regards as weak to put the strong to shame.» (1 Cor 1:26).

V.5 – And Paul himself is well aware that his weaknesses are not obstacles to his ministry but an opportunity for a clear manifestation of God’s power: «A thorn was given to me in the flesh, an angel of Satan sent to buffet me, so that I might not become conceited! Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me: «My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.» Therefore I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. That is why I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions and in the anxieties I endure for Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.» (2 Cor 12). The treasure he carries, and which he is charged with making known, is borne within the frailty that leaves room for God to act «We carry this treasure in earthen vessels, so that this incomparable power may be attributed to God and not to us» (2 Cor 4:7). Paul’s ministry is one of complete communion with Christ, even to the point of his humiliation, for he knows that he shares in the power of the Risen One. He «knows in whom he has placed his faith». That’s all that matters to Paul. «The power of Christ is made perfect in weakness». Thus Paul’s ministry is a ministry of power and glory, for it is modelled on Christ, who was poor, humbled to the point of dying on a cross, and glorified by the Father.

• In what way does the ministry I am living bring me into communion with the poor and humiliated Christ? • In the world in which I live, to what degree of boldness and obedience to the Spirit am I led in order to live out and proclaim Paul’s faith?
• To what extent does this represent a break with the prevailing culture?
• How are my weaknesses linked to, and part of, the work of the Risen One?

VI – PAUL, A «MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT»

VI.1 – Paul reflects on his ministry «as a ministry of the Spirit», «established by the Holy Spirit» (Romans 1:4). »It is he, Christ, who has enabled us to be ministers of a New Covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Cor 3:6). Paul «enlightened by the glory of Christ, transformed into that very image with ever-increasing glory by the Lord» lives out a ministry of freedom, fully aligned, through a wholehearted «Amen», with God’s plan to give life to the world.

VI.2 – This ministry becomes a ministry of enlightenment. It consists, first and foremost, of seeking to draw close to people and gain their trust, in the spirit of a servant: «No, it is not ourselves, but the Lord Jesus Christ that we proclaim. As for ourselves, we proclaim ourselves to be your servants for Jesus» sake’ (2 Cor 4:5), and in truth with regard to the Word of God, which must be proclaimed in its entirety: «We are not, in fact, like so many others who distort the word of God; we speak with sincerity, on God’s behalf, in the presence of God, in Christ.» (2 Cor 2). This Word, brought close to us, aims to introduce people to «the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God» (2 Cor 4:4). It aims to lead them to obedience born of faith, and to glory.

VI.3 – This ministry is one of constant openness to the Spirit. It is the ministry of the watchman, always on the lookout for what the Spirit is doing in people’s hearts. Seeing what the Spirit was doing amongst the Gentiles, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem to speak freely and truthfully. Is it not always a matter of «walking by the Spirit» (Gal 5:16) and to obey him. Paul’s ministry is a ministry of obedience and, by that very nature, of boldness, not of repetition, continually reaching out towards the Father’s plan at work within humanity; the aim of this ministry is to bring to fruition the New Covenant realised in the Paschal Mystery. We might ask ourselves: what insights have we received from Christ? In what way do they constitute a power that leads to the boldness necessary to live out a ministry of enlightenment?

VII – PAUL: A MINISTRY OF PRAYER

VII.1 – Paul is a man of prayer. He prays in the synagogue, by the river (Acts 16:13), in prison (Acts 16:25) and on the ship. He prays in all circumstances, giving thanks to God for what he sees God accomplishing.

VII.2 – He does not hesitate to ask the community to pray for him and the mission: «Pray for us in particular, that God may open the way for our preaching and that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ; it is for his sake that I am in chains; pray that I may proclaim him, speaking as I ought to» (1 Cor 4).

VII.3 – He knows that it is the Spirit who prays within him and within every disciple «God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, who cries out: »Abba, Father!”’ (Gal 4:6). And the work of the Spirit in prayer is to bring the saints into harmony with the Father’s plan: «The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, and he who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit desires, and that his intercession for the saints is in accordance with God’s will. And we know that God works together with those who love him for their good, with those whom he has called according to his purpose.» (Romans 8:26).

VII.4 – Through the Spirit, Paul is in communion with Christ, his Master, and this is his strength; thus he abides in «spirit of prayer» as Father Chevrier put it. One day, he may say, «It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me» – the perfection of union with Christ, who prays to the Father within him and carries out the Father’s work. At the end of his letters, he expresses the hope that this communion with Christ and the mystery of the Trinity may dwell in the hearts of Christ’s disciples: «May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!» (2 Cor 13). Such, then, is this man who is in harmony with God and His plan of salvation, in harmony with Christ through the power of the Spirit.

CONCLUSION

Paul’s ministry is far from that of a civil servant. It is that of a man who calls himself «a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart to proclaim the Gospel of God» (Rom 1:1). His whole life is devoted to this ministry of revealing the Risen One present in the world, the hope of glory. He is consecrated to the Gospel. This is the power of his apostolate. «I have become a minister of the Church, by virtue of the office entrusted to me by God, to bring about amongst you the fulfilment of the Word of God—this mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations and which has now been revealed to his saints: God has chosen to make known to them the glory of this mystery amongst the Gentiles: it is Christ amongst you! The hope of glory! We proclaim this Christ, warning every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may bring every person to maturity in Christ. And it is for this very reason that I labour and struggle, with his energy at work within me with great power.» (Col 1:25–29). Following Paul’s example, it is hard to imagine that ministry could be a part-time role. Fully committed to serving humanity,

• He travels the roads travelled by men; he goes wherever people gather;
• He observes, listens, sees, understands, adapts, stands out, remaining faithful to the Word;
• He proclaims Christ in his entirety, «in public and in private» with one person or another;
• He seeks out hearts in which the Word resounds, to awaken them to the law of freedom and communion with Christ. He guides them, like a father or a shepherd, and sustains them;
• He calls a few to lead the flock, to build up a community and to form it. Father Chevrier wished to pass all this on to us so that our ministry might also be a ministry of the Spirit, a ministry of power in the cross of the Lord.

Gilles Gracineau, a priest at the Prado – Diocese of Limoges