Three Essential Marks of an Apostle

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here are three marks or measures to be met for one to be called an apostle of the Lord.

The first mark of an apostle is that he or she is sent. An apostle does not simply choose the mission for himself or herself. The mission begins with a call from outside oneself.

Who is calling? Who is sending? Ultimately, it is God. Before we decide for God, God has already chosen us. Before we go, God has already sent us.

That is why the apostles are called apostles. The word apostle comes from the Greek απόστολein (apostolein) meaning ‘sent ones’. Their identity comes not from themselves but from the one who sends them. The gospels talk about the first απόστολοι who are called The Twelve. These twelve men were not the only ones sent by Jesus, though. There were women also like Mary Magdalene and the others who saw the risen Jesus and were sent by Him to share the good news of the resurrection with the other disciples.

I learned something similar here in Pohnpei. The titles of nobility are not simply claimed for oneself. They are given and received freely and not by force. In the same way, no one can simply declare herself or himself an apostle. Apostleship is not self-made. It is received as a gift that comes with a great responsibility.

We call it a measure of apostleship because it can be measured. Especially the first. The apostle’s worthiness or credibility is measured by both the authority and freedom of the one who is calling. This first mark of an apostle is the 'call of God or God's call'. Jesus calls with divine authority, which guarantees the call to be truly and genuinely His call or God's call. This is why an apostle must learn how to listen. St Paul calls this the gift of discernment—the ability to recognize where God is calling us.

This gift is not only for priests, religious, or church leaders. It is for everyone. Every person has a unique call from God and must learn to listen carefully for it. To hear that call, we cannot be absorbed only in ourselves. We need silence, prayer, and attentiveness. God often speaks quietly. It is comforting to know that when the Lord chooses whom to send, He does not first look at credentials, talents, or achievements. He first looks with the eyes of mercy. He sees not only who we are, but also who, by His grace, we can become. The Pontifical motto of Pope Francis, came from the old motto that he used when he was made Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1997. Miserando atque Eligendo, “Lowly but Chosen,” is a line he got from a homily of St Bede on the calling of the Apostle Matthew: “He [Jesus] saw him [Matthew] through the eyes of mercy and chose him.”

The first measure of an apostle is being called. The second measure is going out. Having heard the call, the apostle must now take the road. This criterion is also called the 'consummation' of an apostle’s love because it seals, so to speak, the bond just like in marriage. If you do not go out of the self, then you are annulled, or you stop being an apostle. It would be a contradiction in terms when you claim that you are sent, but you stay within your comfort zone, you do not go out, hence, you stay self-absorbed. That cannot be–the one sent goes out to do what one is missioned to do. However, our Lord of course, respects our freedom–a true apostle must respond freely. A person who is dragging one’s feet is worse than a self-absorbed person, which could pose greater risks to the mission area. The Lord calls freely, and we must respond too freely.

I learned another lesson here in Pohnpei. Those who hold traditional titles are often given seats of honor facing the people. At first, I wondered why. Is it simply a privilege? As I sat beside them, it dawned on me that a title is not merely an honor to receive but a responsibility to fulfill. To face the people means to watch over them, to be attentive to their needs, and to care for their welfare.

This is very close to the biblical image of the shepherd. The word "shepherd" comes from an old English word meaning "sheep-herder." A shepherd protects the flock from danger, keeps it from wandering, and guides it to good pasture.

Like the first measure of apostleship, this second one can also be measured. Does the apostle continue to listen, obey, and learn from the One who gave him the title, the honor, and the responsibility?

Apostles are also disciples, students who continue to learn from the Master. Jesus does not send us empty-handed. He gives us instructions for the mission. Yet He tells His disciples to travel lightly: "Take nothing for the journey but a walking stick."

Why? Because a true apostle must depend first on God. An apostle cannot become attached to possessions, status, or power. Otherwise, the mission becomes about oneself rather than about the people one is called to serve. This is the wisdom behind the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They help free the heart from self-absorption so that, like a good shepherd, one can be fully available to God and to the people entrusted to one's care.

The third and final mark of an apostle is the ability to recognize constantly that "It is the Lord" who labors and directs every catch. Jesus tells Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon replies, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing." Every apostle will eventually know something of that experience. There will be sleepless nights, disappointments, failures, and even dark nights of the soul. There will be moments when all our efforts seem to bear little fruit.

This third mark is perhaps the most difficult. It requires us to move beyond self-absorption and to trust that God is at work even when we cannot see the results. The apostles themselves struggled with this. Peter denied Jesus. The others fled. Even Judas, one of the Twelve, allowed his own plans and ambitions to take root in his heart.

The deepest form of love, according to the Church Fathers and Mothers, is purity of heart—a heart that seeks God's will above its own. This purity is not achieved in a single moment. Our first "yes" to God must be followed by many more yeses, and sometimes by repentance after our failures.

This mark of apostleship is Christ Himself or the constancy of finding God in everything. It requires dying to oneself again and again and believing His promise: "I am with you always, to the end of the age."

The mature apostle eventually learns to say, whether the nets are full or empty, "It is the Lord." Such a person knows that no effort done for God is ever wasted. He begins to see everything through heaven's eyes and discovers that the true miracle is not the catch itself, but the Lord who never stops accompanying His people.

Do we have these three marks of an apostle: a call received, a mission embraced, and a faith that remains constant? If so, we can move forward with confidence, knowing that the Lord who calls us is the same Lord who guides the mission and brings it to fulfillment. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ