Monday, 6th Week of Easter
“And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
One version of the Bible translates this particular passage this way: “You must bear witness on my behalf…” Christ wants his followers to be his witnesses… witnesses to his truth… to his sacrifice and self-giving love… to his saving death and resurrection… to his mercy, compassion, and peace… to the remission of sins that Jesus died for.
The Lord wants us to be his witnesses also. So we must ask ourselves: Are we witnessing to Jesus by being bearers of the Good News? Are we being good news to others? Encouragement to those who are struggling? Hope to those who fail? Inspiration to those who are striving to be better persons? Are we witnessing to Jesus by being reflections of God’s goodness? Are we reflecting this in the way we talk and relate to other people? In being charitable with our words and deeds? Are we witnessing to Jesus by being signs of God’s mercy? Are we letting other people experience with us and through us God’s forgiveness and unconditional love? Are we able to show them understanding, patience, mercy, and compassion?
Christ needs witnessing families who would make him as the center of their homes and his gospel values as the basis of the way they should live their lives. Christ needs witnessing parents who would be good examples of constantly discerning and faithfully following God’s will instead of just pursuing their selfish ambitions and interests. Christ needs witnessing young people who would be bold enough to go against the culture of individualism and materialism and to follow Jesus more closely and more faithfully. Christ needs witnessing parishioners, particularly of OLMMP, who would commit themselves to the practice of stewardship as a way responding to the call of Christian discipleship.
Let the risen Lord form us that we may be living and credible witnesses to the power of the Resurrection. Let us give witness to Jesus, as individuals and as one community, by living the gospel values in our everyday lives… by doing what our Master has commanded us to do… by loving one another as Jesus has loved us… by being compassionate and forgiving to one another. This is how we are to give witness to Jesus… this is how we are to testify for Christ. May we be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Parokya ni Osong 