Lingering on the "main features" of the apostle according to Saint Paul, Benedict XVI pointed out that the first one is to have "seen the Lord", that is, "having had a life-changing meeting with Him". It is the Lord who "constitutes in the apostolate, not one’s presumption, so it is to Him that one must concretely relate". Secondly, apostle means "sent, dispatched", i.e. "the ambassador and carrier of a message", who "must act as the delegate and representative of a sender". That’s why, explained the Pope, Saint Paul is defined the "apostle of Jesus Christ", i.e. "His delegate, entirely at His service, so much so that he is also called the servant of Jesus Christ": "from him according to Saint Paul we have received a mission to be accomplished in His name, pushing aside any personal interest". The third requirement of the apostle is "to exercise the announcement of the Gospel, with the resulting foundation of Churches", which makes the apostles "God’s assistants". (continued)
