The commitment to live as children of God is carried out principally in our work, which we must direct to God; at home, filling it with peace and a spirit of service; and in friendship, the way for others to draw closer and closer to the Lord. At any time of the day or night, however, we must keep up our efforts to be, with the help of grace, men and women of one piece, who do not behave according to the wind that blows or who leave their dealings with the Lord for when they are in church or recollected in prayer. In the street, at work, in sport, in a social gathering, we are always the same: children of God, who reflect with kindness their following of Christ in very different situations: whether you eat, drink, or do anything else, do everything for the glory of God,4 St. Paul advised the early Christians. When you sit at table," comments St. Basil on this verse, "pray. When you eat bread, give thanks to him who is generous. If you drink wine, remember him who has given it to you for joy and relief from sickness. When you put on your clothes, give thanks to him who has graciously given them to you. When you contemplate the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at the feet of God and adore him who in his Wisdom arranged all these things. In the same way, when the sun rises and when it sets, while you sleep and while you are awake, give thanks to God who created and ordained all these things for your benefit, so that you may know, love and praise the Creator "5. 5 All noble realities should lead us to Him.
In the same way that when we love a creature of the earth we love it twenty-four hours a day, love for Christ constitutes the most intimate essence of our being and what shapes our actions. He is our only Lord, whom we try to serve in the midst of men, being exemplary in our work, in our business, in living the social doctrine of the Church in the different areas of our activity, in the care of nature, which is part of the divine Creation.... It would make no sense for a person who treats the Lord with intimacy not to strive at the same time, and as a logical consequence, to be cordial and optimistic, to be punctual in his work, to make the most of his time, not to botch his work....
Love for God, if it is authentic, is reflected in all aspects of life. Hence, although temporal questions have their own autonomy and there is no "Catholic solution" to social, political, etc. problems, neither are there areas of "neutrality" where the Christian ceases to be a Christian and to act as such6. For this reason, the apostolate flows spontaneously wherever a disciple of Christ is found, because it is an immediate consequence of his love for God and for mankind.