Justice, Peace and Good Stewardship (Jn 14:27-31)

Jesus offers his peace to his disciples as an alternative to the peace that the world offers.  Although Jesus does not explain how his peace differs from worldly peace, he gives a clear indication in that regard at the beginning of his public ministry.  Soon after his baptism, Jesus enters the synagogue and characterizes the purpose of his mission in a way that connects his peace with justice.  Jesus makes that connection when he quotes a passage from Isaiah to those gathered: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed…” (Lk 4:18; Is 61:1).

A succinct version of this same characterization is found in Psalm 85, which reads:  Near indeed is his salvation for those who fear him; glory will dwell in our land.  Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss (Ps 85:10-11).  The implication is that the peace of Jesus is inseparable from justice.  We cannot have one without the other.  Jesus qualifies his offer of peace with justice not as a call to abandon the world, but to transform it.  The peace that Jesus offers is therefore the outcome of right living, that is, living in a manner consistent with his values rather than the values of the world (Phil 4:8-9). 

Paul appeals to this responsibility of ours in his letter to the Romans.  In that letter, Paul claims that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit; whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others.  Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another (Rm 14:17-19).  Realizing peace on these terms is the natural outcome of exercising justice in our relationships with each other.

The principle of justice extends beyond our relationships with each other, however.  Because God created the world and all that is in it, including those who live here, everything in creation belongs to God (Ps 24:1).  Therefore, despite long held views of our right to exploit nature’s resources however we see fit, we do not have such a right.  The goods of the world do not belong to us; they belong to God.   

For that reason, God calls us to exercise justice in our relationship to creation itself.  This is a call to be good stewards of what belongs to God.  On these terms, good stewardship is not a way of managing our possessions.  Rather, good stewardship is paying attention to and caring for what God has entrusted to our care.  Good stewardship is what God expects of us.  He trusts us to be good stewards of his creation for ourselves and for those who come after us.

In short, justice and peace are not only a part of what Jesus came to do.  Justice and peace are the heart of his mission on earth.  For this reason, justice, peace, and integrity of creation are central to faithful living.  Our relationship with each other and with God’s creation derives from a keen awareness and consistent practice of mutuality, solidarity, respect, and justice.  If we follow the commandments of Jesus in this way, justice will indeed bring about peace, not just for some but for all (Is 32:17), and our peace will flow like a river (Is 48:18). 

Shepherd or Hired Hand? (B 4 Easter 24; Jn 10:11-18)

Jesus offers a metaphor of sheep and shepherd to call attention to our spiritual vulnerability and our need to be on guard about which shepherd we follow.  With this metaphor, he illustrates his relationship with us as our good shepherd and thus our relationship with him and to each other.  He aims to show that his steadfast love and concern for us are the only motivation for his service.  Indeed, his devoted love includes voluntarily giving up his life for us. 

Isaiah uses this same language when he identifies the reason Jesus came into the world.  Isaiah declares that Jesus came into the world because “We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way” (Is 53:6).  Because we could not find our way back to the right spiritual path, Jesus came searching for us and suffered dire consequences.  As Isaiah says about that: “Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; Like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Is 53:7).

Jesus is the trustworthy and reliable shepherd, unlike the hired hand who has no real concern for the flock.  In fact, this scoundrel runs off in fear at the first sign of danger and heads for the high country, leaving the sheep to scatter and fend for themselves.  Jesus, on the other hand, is the sure and safe gate.  Whoever enters through him will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture (Jn 10:9).  Jesus is the one true shepherd who knows his sheep and his sheep know him, just as the father knows him and he knows the father (Jn 10:14-15). 

Not only does Jesus want us to follow him rather than someone who pretends to be a shepherd.  He also wants us to avoid giving in to peer pressure like scattered sheep.  Sometimes we follow the crowd because we seek the approval of others, or because we fear their rejection, ridicule, or humiliation.  Our fear can drive us to abandon our own spiritual wisdom, and instead, follow those who appear strong and confident.  We follow them, even though they have no wisdom because they too are driven by fear.

With Jesus as our Good Shepherd, however, there is nothing that we lack.  In green pastures he makes us lie down; to still waters he leads us; he restores our souls.  He guides us along right paths, for the sake of his name.  Even though we walk through the valley of death, we have no reason to fear evil, for he is with us; his rod and his staff comfort us (Ps 23:1-4). No wonder Jesus says that he knows his sheep and his know him.  Jesus came to be like us and remain steadfast in his relationship with us to the bitter end.

The metaphor of good shepherd and sheep emphasizes exactly this bond of loyalty between Jesus and us.  So precious are we to Jesus that he stayed true to his mission and gave up his life for us (Jn 10:11, 14).  He came for us in the world and loved us to the end (Jn 13:1).  For he says, “I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6:38).  This is the will of him who sent me—that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me” (Jn 6:39).  Because Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29), he will not reject anyone who comes to him (Jn 6:37).

As our good shepherd, he is the door through which we exit and enter and find pasture (Jn 10:9).  His true followers acknowledge only his voice, not that of a stranger (Jn 10:5). Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who goes in search of us and finds us where we are.  As odd as it sounds, he willingly leaves the 99 to find the one who is lost (Lk 15:4-7).  In the ordinary circumstances of our lives, Jesus offers his message of liberation and reconciliation, of justice and peace, of hope and love.

Through our Good Shepherd, we are connected to God the Father.  Jesus is the Protector, and we are the Protected.  Jesus is our gift from the Father.  Jesus comes not only as messenger.  He also comes as our ambassador.  In this sense, Jesus is not a barrier or a wall between God and us.  Rather, he is our bridge to the father.  Jesus pleads to God on our behalf when needed, just as he also intercedes for us when needed.

Thus, we have reason to place our trust in Jesus.  He is the trustworthy Shepherd who has power to lay down his own life and to pick it up again (Jn 10:17-18).  He therefore has the power to raise all those who believe in him (Jn 6:39-40).  In the meantime, Jesus makes it clear that those who believe in him will imitate his good works (Jn 9:4).  For this reason, Jesus calls us to be more like him when he says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love (Jn 15:9).

We know what this means, and we know how difficult loving others can be at times.  For the most part, however, love often requires very little.  A kind word, a helping hand, or a show of compassion is all that is needed.  At other times, love compels us to refrain from judging others.  This is really all that it means to live in the spirit of Christ.

Living this way is possible especially when Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd and the central model of our lives, while love is the overarching moral principle and measure of all our personal projects and good works.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, our conduct then is a freely chosen, transforming participation in divine life.  This is really what Christ the Good Shepherd is all about and all that he wants to show with his metaphor of shepherd and sheep—following him by living the truth in love (Ep 4:15).

 

 

Let There Be Light (Easter Vigil 24)

 

The Catholic tradition has celebrated the Easter Vigil in one form or another since the 4^th Century AD.  Because this holy feast marks the beginning of Easter, the liturgy has a special character and theme.  The liturgy aims to show that we keep a vigil waiting for our master's return.  We know that he will return at an hour we least expect.  Therefore, we keep our lamps full and burning, so that when he returns, he will find us awake and ready to open the door.  Then he will come in, seat us at his table, and proceed to wait on us (Lk 12:35-37).  

The liturgy itself unfolds in four parts, the first of which is a celebration of light.  The central symbol of this first part is the Paschal Candle, a symbol of Christ who is the light of the world (Jn 12:35).  The first words of the Exultet emphasize the symbolism of the Paschal Candle which opens our journey into the mystery of this great feast—Let the earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal king.

These words—ablaze with light from her eternal king—call attention to the first reading from Genesis.  Out of darkness, God said:  Let there be light, and there was light.  The light of Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of Man and the Son of God is the source of our celebration.  Because Christ is the light of the world, we are called to embrace iHii   what and who His light reveals.  His light leads us to acknowledge that we are children of the light, made in the image and likeness of God (Mt 5:14).  For this reason, we are called to embrace the breadth and depth of His light and His Spirit as we journey with Jesus.  In turn, our light leads others in their journey to the Father (Mt 5:16).

Like the ancient Hebrews, however, we often face challenges on our journey.  Each of us faces our own Red Sea, and when we do, the light of Christ helps us navigate the rough waters.  Indeed, sometimes we don’t even realize who helped us.  Sometimes we mistakenly think we helped ourselves, we did it all on our own.  Often, however, the single set of footsteps in the wet land of the pushed back waters belong to the one who carries us—Jesus Christ, the light of the world.  Whether we follow his light is a choice that each of us makes (Jn 1: 9-12).

And so, what do we do when we get to the other side of our Red Sea (and, by the way, sometimes we go through the Red Sea more than once)?  One thing we do is accept the fact that we are not alone, not abandoned.  We stop judging ourselves and others, and we treat ourselves and each other the way God treats us—with great tenderness and enduring love.  We reject oppression.  We become peacemakers.  We accept the truth that God’s love is without cost.  We seek the Lord where he may be found.  We live in the light of Christ and are able to perceive that God is still near.  For whether we are in the Red Sea or on the other side, God calls us to listen to His beloved Son “that we may have life”.

This is our call to a new way of living, and Ezekiel helps us understand how to live this new life.  As Ezekiel tells us—we allow God to remove our stony hearts and restore our natural hearts.  This natural heart, infused with the Spirit of God, is the heart God gave us at our creation. It’s just that sometimes, on the journey, struggles and disappointments in life often lead to bitterness and resentment, and these become stones in our hearts.  Stones in our hearts make it harder to love ourselves and others.  The Lord tells us that he will cleanse us, remove our stony hearts, and give us new hearts, natural hearts.  With renewed, natural hearts, we can do the will of the Father as revealed to us by Scripture, especially when it comes to how we treat others.

We know from scripture what Jesus expects of us in that regard—feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, welcome the stranger.  Doing the will of the Father in these ways is made easier with the hope of the Resurrection.  The young man sitting in the empty tomb tells the women who approach—nothing to see here.  The vision offered in this situation is not one of death, but of life.  Not one of despair, but of hope.  And that is our calling—to be visionaries of life and hope to all, especially to those who are near and dear to us.

This is why the third part of our celebration tonight involves those who have embraced their calling to this new way of life.  The third part of our Liturgy includes the rites of Baptism and confirmation, during which the newest members are welcomed and confirmed in their Catholic faith.  These rites mark a highlight in their journey to become full members of the Catholic faith community.  This part concludes with the sprinkling of the newly blessed baptismal water and the renewal of baptismal promises for all of us.

On a personal note, celebrating the rite of initiation often makes me wonder what leads one to become Catholic.  When pressed for an explanation, some say their decision comes from having found a spiritual home in the Catholic Church, many for the first time in their lives.  Others would say their spouse, or their children inspired them to become Catholic.  Still others might claim that Church teaching on issues close to their hearts is so compelling that their choice was an easy one.  Whatever the explanation, I suspect that such a choice ultimately boils down to a matter of conscience.  One way or another, the choice just must feel right in our heart of hearts, our natural hearts.

These new members will continue to reflect on their experience of conversion during the Easter season.  They will consider how they might get involved in ministry and outreach to make the faith their own.  Making the faith one’s own, however, is truly a life-long spiritual process.  In a sense, all the readings tonight are a story about this process—a story about the Lord finding each of us and each of us finding the Lord.  These readings illustrate the wax and wane of our spiritual journey that ultimately leads to spiritual healing.  All healing comes from the hound of heaven, the true Star of Bethlehem, who continually reveals himself to us and shines his light to show us the way to the Father.

Spiritual enlightenment comes with the light of Christ who strengthens our faith and our resolve to follow him more closely in our daily lives.  This is a primary focus of the vigil we keep tonight, both for the Elect as well as for those of us who are already Catholic.  We all need the light of Christ to grow in faith.  Conversion means leaving behind an old way of life and taking up a new one.  The new way that we seek is the way of the Lord.  This conversion is a spiritual rebirth and gift from Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.  Our hope is to embrace this light and once again celebrate our Easter gift of faith.

God's Mercy is Wide (B 5 Lent 24; Jn 12:20-33)

Phillip and Andrew do a very ordinary thing when they tell Jesus some Greeks want to see him.  We are not told why they want to see Jesus or whether they ever do.  Even so, the expected response to such an ordinary request is to say, sure, tell them to come on in.  Once again, however, Jesus does not give the expected response.  Instead, he uses this opportunity to explain what it means to see him.

In essence Jesus says to Phillip and Andrew, I am in Jerusalem at this moment to fulfill the purpose for which I came into the world.  Therefore, seeing me is not a matter of satisfying an idle curiosity.  Seeing me is an encounter that is transformative because seeing me demands a choice.  When you see me, you must decide whether to follow my way or to follow the way of the world.

Like those who first encountered Jesus long ago, we know that following the way of the world puts us at odds with following Jesus.  The world focuses on competition, status, control, power, and wealth.  Everything the world offers is temporary.  Following Jesus, on the other hand, is to embrace a life of service born of love—love of God above all, love of neighbor, and love of his creation, our earthly home.  Love endures forever (1 Cor 13-13).

The choice to follow Jesus by imitating his love can be a challenge at times, especially when it comes to love of neighbor.  For one, who “neighbor” includes is not always clear.  We know, however, that Jesus means more by neighbor than just family, friends, and benefactors.  He makes it plain that neighbor also includes those who oppose our interests, our enemies, and those who are least in God’s kingdom (Mt 5:44). 

More than once, Jesus identifies the least in terms of the poor, the hungry, the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, the naked, the ill, the imprisoned.  In modern terms, the least are those who are disadvantaged because they lack the necessities of life—those who have no healthcare, or nothing to eat, or inadequate housing, or inferior educational opportunities, or are denied a living wage.  To ignore others in these essential ways is to turn our backs on Jesus himself (Is 58:7; Mt 25:40).

Jesus urges us to go one better by imitating the Good Samaritan who went out of his way to care for the stranger beaten and robbed.  The response of the Good Samaritan reveals the everlasting bond between love and mercy. This connection is the basis for the observation that Jesus himself made—blessed are those who show mercy, for mercy shall be theirs (Mt 5:7).

In fact, the phrase “Forgive us our sins” is the beginning of a plea for mercy that we condition on the mercy that we show others.  This plea is a stark reminder that we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others.  Jesus gives emphasis to this point when he says, “as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Mt 7:2). 

This is the foundation of the new covenant that Jeremiah calls attention to in the first reading: “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.” We know in our hearts what this means.  Throughout his life and mission, Jesus describes this new covenant in terms of three virtues: love, mercy, and fidelity.  These are covenant words with special meaning.

The covenant word “love” refers to the steadfast love of God.  God is unwavering in his love for us.  The covenant word “mercy” comes from the Hebrew word for womb.  This suggests that God has an intimate relationship with us as a mother with her child.  The covenant word “fidelity” means that God remains faithful to his covenant with us, no matter how unfaithful we may be in that respect. 

The new covenant with God compels a similar response on our part (Ps 103:4;8).  To that end, love is the hand that shapes and guides our character and actions in living out our covenant with God.  God pours his love into our hearts, so that we can love him and love others.  God’s love for us inspires us and empowers us to honor our relationship with Him and with our neighbor.  Indeed, following the path of love is the only way to follow Jesus.

Lent is a reminder that when we fail to follow the way of love and mercy, we can call upon our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to mend our ways.  The abiding Spirit of Jesus helps us restore and renew our covenant with God.  The Holy Spirit enables us to love, to be merciful and gracious as God himself is merciful and gracious; kind and faithful as God is kind and faithful.  We love God more than we know about God.  In all things, we pray that our love will be like the love of Jesus—creating, redeeming, renewing.  If we aim to be like Jesus in these ways, we shall indeed see Jesus, both in ourselves and in others.    

 

Prepare and Choose (B 1 Lent 24; Mk 1:12-15)

 

Mark gives a very brief but powerful description of the time Jesus spent in the desert after his baptism.  In this brief description, Mark calls attention to the idea that the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness—not leads but drives.  The Spirit drives Jesus in the sense that Jesus all of a sudden feels an urgent need to resolve a mystery that God the father has revealed to him at his baptism. 

During the baptism of Jesus, God identifies Jesus as his beloved son.  Now, Jesus has to figure out what that means.  Jesus has to understand what his earthly mission is in relation to the Father and to the world.  He must then choose whether he will indeed undertake that mission.  In other words, Jesus has a serious choice to make that requires a period of preparation. 

His place of preparation is understandable.  Preparing for a difficult task is often something that must done alone.  What better place for complete solitude and opportunity to resolve such a mystery than the desert wilderness?  Wilderness itself can be a mysterious and dangerous place.  This is especially true for Jesus, who experienced in the wilderness what Israel was going through at the time—trials and tribulations. 

In a way, the wilderness represents the circumstances in which Jesus will carry out his mission once he leaves the desert. The wilderness is a dangerous place because it is unchartered territory with unknown pathways and obstacles. It often must be maneuvered in untried ways and managed with untested methods.  The uncertainty of a wilderness thus creates many dangers and snares that can be difficult to overcome without proper guidance or assistance.

Adding to the mystery and danger of the wilderness is the idea of Jesus being tempted by Satan and having to compete with wild beasts.  Wild beasts can prove deadly even for the strongest adventurer.  In that sense, the presence of wild beasts foretells the rejection and cruelty Jesus will experience at the hands of many.  Jesus will have to win over those who reject the true God and his teachings—a daunting task at best.

We do not learn from Mark the nature or kinds of temptations Jesus endures.  In Mark’s gospel, there are no stones to be turned into bread, nor kingdoms to be renounced, nor a temple precipice to be avoided.  We do know, however, that many challenges and struggles continued for Jesus well beyond the wilderness. 

The Pharisees and scribes, for example, often falsely accused Jesus of many egregious wrongs.  His own family once claimed he was out of his mind (Mk 3:21).  The ultimate and final test of his love and faith came with his Passion and death on the cross.  The tests in the wilderness were only the beginning.

Through it all, Jesus perseveres and never once looks away.  For Jesus, embracing a mission contrary to the will of God is no mission at all.  The irony is that Jesus succeeds in the desert where the Israelites had failed in the desert.  Wandering in the desert only fueled their quest for political power and control.  Their greed led them to abandon the will of God and worship the golden calf—that is, they put their trust in the things of this world (Dt 6:13-14).  Satan offers the Israelites a different interpretation of their lives, and they buy into it.  Instead of holding fast to the life and mission that God had called them to live, they settle for the illusions and false glitter invented by Satan.

Jesus, on the other hand, does not buy into Satan’s interpretation of his life and mission.  The devil tries to seduce Jesus into believing that his mission is to be financially secure, in complete control, and politically powerful. Jesus rejects that interpretation and holds fast to the life and mission that God gives him.  He understands and accepts what faithfulness as the Son of God entails for him in this world—and God rewards his faithfulness.  The world simply fails to see the outcome as a victory.

We might be tempted to think that Jesus had to endure these hardships and temptations in the wilderness to prove his mettle, so to speak, as the Son of God.  We also might be tempted to think that such temptations are not ours to deal with and overcome.  And yet, with all the glamor and attractions of modern life, listening and responding to the Word of God in an authentic manner remains a daily challenge.  There are many other voices and illusions, many other gods, vying for our attention and loyalty.

What are the wild beasts in our lives?  Who are the angels?  Do we follow a voice alien to our Father in heaven?  Jesus claims that his sheep hear his voice and follow him (Jn 10:27).  Do we abandon the purpose that God gives us in favor of the interpretation others have for us?  Do we accept the interpretation of our lives that others try to impose on us?   Do we let others decide who we are or who we should be?  

Jesus urges us to show who we are by not hiding our light under a bushel basket (Lk 8:16).  Do we respond to temptation like the Israelites in the desert, or do we follow Jesus in the wilderness and remain faithful to the Word of God no matter the cost?  Saying yes to Jesus is often easier said than done.  Our courage comes with the assurance that God always guides and protects his own, for Jesus makes it clear that all things are possible with God (Mk 9:23). 

Like the time of preparation and choice Jesus experienced in the desert, Lent is our time of preparation and choice.  May our forty days of Lent this year be our preparation to imitate more closely the faithfulness and good deeds of Jesus.  For, his way of living is the only sure way that leads to eternal life.  We too have angels who eagerly minister to us.  We also have Jesus’ word that he will send the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper (Acts 1:3-4).  His own experience and response in the wilderness are reason enough to believe that Jesus will keep his word.

 

What I Have Seen and Heard (3 Adv B 23; Jn 1:6-8; 19-28)

 

            John the Baptist is well known as a prophet and chief witness sent by God to testify to the light, to prepare the way of the Lord.  John is an unlikely witness to Christ, however.  John is an unlikely witness primarily because he is not a religious leader.  He is not even part of the religious establishment.  He lives on the margin of society, alone in the desert.  He has no visible means of support.  He eats a Spartan diet of locusts and honey.  He goes around dressed only in camel hair.  John looks and acts homeless.  For these reasons, no one at the time would have guessed that John is God’s chief witness.  And yet, that is exactly what he is—an unlikely chief witness proclaiming to others what he has seen and heard about the coming of the Lord Jesus.

            John is not the only unlikely witness to Jesus.  Nor is he the first.  The first is Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.  She too is an unlikely witness.  She is a young, unmarried woman with no official role in the temple or synagogue worship.  As a woman, she also cannot be a witness and thus cannot give testimony in a court of law.  Yet, she is chosen by God as the first witness to proclaim the coming of the Lord to her cousin Elizabeth, and the first to bring Christ to others—both at his birth and the wedding feast at Cana where she inaugurates his mission. 

            There are other unlikely witnesses who testify to Jesus—the lowly shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem.  As servants, they too would not have been allowed to testify in court, and yet, they are the first to witness the birth of Jesus.  The Samaritan woman at the well is an enemy of the Jews, and yet her testimony inspires many to follow Jesus.  The women at the tomb are the first to witness the resurrection of Jesus.  Their testimony provides a first and crucial piece of evidence about the resurrection.  Perhaps the most famous unlikely witness to Jesus is Paul himself.  His persecution of Christians prior to his own conversion is legendary, while afterward, the power and influence of his witness to the risen Jesus is unparalleled.

            As unlikely as these witnesses are, however, they share three characteristics that serve as a model and inspiration for us, who are likewise called to be witnesses to Christ.  The first characteristic that witnesses to Jesus share is that they speak from personal experience.  A witness can testify only to what he or she has seen and heard.  The act of witnessing always depends on personal experience and involves a personal commitment.  This is why John writes in his first letter that, “we have seen for ourselves, and we attest that the Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world” (1 Jn 4:14). 

            Jesus’ coming into the world is not a passive event.  Christ comes to encounter.  There are many ways the Risen Jesus encounters us today.  One way is through Scripture.  Another way is through the Eucharist.  Some of us struggle with belief in the real presence.  Perhaps this struggle is not that we don’t believe God could inhabit bread; perhaps the real struggle is that we don’t believe God could inhabit us.  No wonder we often miss out on yet another way of encountering Jesus—through our encounters with each other.  Perhaps we cannot see Christ in others because we do not see Christ in ourselves.

            The second characteristic shared by witnesses to Jesus is that they speak the truth with confidence.  Witnesses to Jesus are confident in their faith because they know Christ came to bear witness to the truth.  Therefore, to be a witness to Christ is to be a witness to the truth.  The truth that Jesus proclaims is that God loves us and longs for our love in return.  He wants to share his eternal life and happiness with us.  This is why Jesus came into the world—the great event that we anticipate throughout Advent and celebrate in a special way on Christmas day.  God loves us so much that he sent his only Son so that we might have life to the full, both here and in the hereafter.  This is what motivates God’s witnesses and the basis of their confident faith—God longs for our love.

            The third characteristic shared by witnesses to Jesus is that they speak to awaken faith in Jesus.  John tells us that he writes his Gospel so that we may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief we may have life in his name (Jn 20:31).  This is the sole purpose of John’s testimony, and the purpose to any testimony to Christ—to awaken faith.  For this reason, Christian witness is not simply repeating someone else's words or reporting events as a detached observer.  Nor is it enough simply to tell what we know. 

            Authentic Christian witness is born of love that becomes a mediation of the saving presence of Christ to others.  In witnessing to Christ, we bring Christ to others.  This mediation on our part is none other than a sharing of faith in words and deeds.  As the instruments of Christ's presence, we become a sacrament to others.  Through our words and deeds, the Holy Spirit in turn can awaken the faith born of an encounter with Christ.  In this sense, the conditions of Christian witness are the same as those for living a Christian life.  We give witness to Christ when we love others in his name.

            We may not view ourselves as likely witnesses to Christ.  If so, we are in good company with John and the many other unlikely witnesses.  Like those witnesses, however, we too can draw on our personal experience and speak the truth with confidence to awaken faith in Jesus.  In turn, we can be sure of receiving the promise Jesus made to his witnesses when he said: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father” (Mt 10:32).  This is our calling.  Our prayer this Advent season is for the Holy Spirit to help us make good on our role as unlikely witnesses to Christ.