[5] Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, [6] who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life. [7] Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the Israelites could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, [8] how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious? [9] For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory. [10] Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it. [11] For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.
(CCC 859) Jesus unites them to the mission he received from the Father. As "the Son can do nothing of his own accord," but receives everything from the Father who sent him, so those whom Jesus sends can do nothing apart from him (Jn 5:19, 30; cf. 15:5), from whom they received both the mandate for their mission and the power to carry it out. Christ's apostles knew that they were called by God as "ministers of a new covenant," "servants of God," "ambassadors for Christ," "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (2 Cor 3:6; 6:4; 5:20; 1 Cor 4:1). (CCC 860) In the office of the apostles there is one aspect that cannot be transmitted: to be the chosen witnesses of the Lord's Resurrection and so the foundation stones of the Church. But their office also has a permanent aspect. Christ promised to remain with them always. The divine mission entrusted by Jesus to them "will continue to the end of time, since the Gospel they handed on is the lasting source of all life for the Church. Therefore,… the apostles took care to appoint successors" (LG 20; cf. Mt 28:20).
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