The Founding of Opus Dei: A Podcast Mini-Series

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 featured mini-series on the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast, we are pleased to share a collection of six meditations exploring the early beginnings and mission of Opus Dei and our call to bring the presence of Christ into the midst of the world.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• • Why Opus Dei? | Time Magazine interviews St. Josemaria Escriva
  • OpusDei.org | Learn more about the Prelature of Opus Dei

POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION

• • “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” (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!” (The Way, no. 944).
  • “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” (Friends of God, no. 80).