Christian Life Is a Witness

 

Hatred is also a denial of God’s love for us.

Reflection on Today's Readings, 7th Sunday of Easter, Year B, May 13th, 2024
Texts: Acts 1: 15-17.20-26; Psalm 103:1-3,11-12,19-20; 1 John 4:11-16;John 17:11-19 

Christian life is a witness to Christ and divine life. This life of witnessing flows from an encounter with Jesus Christ. Hence, Simon Peter says, "So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the  Lord  Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."  

We cannot bear witness to Christ convincingly without an encounter with Him. This is also clear in the words of Jesus Christ Himself: "And you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning" (John 15:27). Being with Jesus Christ is a condition for being His witness. For the apostles it must begin from the time of baptism till ascension. John shows that Christian witness to Christ is from encounter when he says, "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world." 

Love of neighbours is a witness to the love of God for us

This is also clear in today's second reading as John says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." This means the love of neighbours is a witness to the love of God for us. The reward for love is love. As God loves us we are to love Him. The perfect way to love God is to love our neighbours. Hence, in today's second reading, John says, "No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."  

When we hate our neighbours, we bear witness to the evil one, the father of the worldly order. John puts it this: "I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one." Hatred is also a denial of God’s love for us. We simply say we have known God who is love.  

The community of Christians should bear witness to the unity

Today's gospel reading is the priestly prayer of Jesus Christ to the Father. He prays that we may bear witness to divine life. He says, "Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." The community of Christians should bear witness to the unity between the Father and the Son. Jesus Christ adds, "But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." The joy we experience is that of Christ.  

The message today is that God calls all Christians to witness to Christ and divine life in the world. It means Christ is our identity, divine life is our identity. I have identity crisis if my life does not bear witness to Christ and divine life. So also you, if you bear the name Christian. There is need to change our ways of life to bear witness to Christ. If our lives bear witness to Christ, we live authentic life; it is fake if it does not bear witness to Christ. 

Prayer 

Graciously hear our supplications, O Lord, so that we, who believe that the Saviour of the human race is with you in your glory, may experience, as he promised, until the end of the world, his abiding presence among us. Amen                 

Fr Andrew Olowomuke