Witnesses For Chist

We are familiar with the advice of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach always, but if necessary use words."  St. Marcellin Champagnat subscribed to the same idea, when he stressed the notion of "Presence of God", that is, remembering that God is always present to us, and that we in turn should relay that Presence to others, and we could add, "using words if necessary."  Over these past weeks the media in Massachusetts has been filled daily with stories of two high-profile trials, and the word, witness,  has appeared over and over again.
Jesus speaks of his own role as witness:  "But the one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but on one accepts his testimony..  Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.  for the one whom God sent speaks the words of God." (Jn 3: 31-34).  As Jesus bears witness and testifies to the truth of God, so too does that role fall upon us.  Deacon Mel Tardy, academic advisor at the University of Notre Dame sums up our role succinctly and convincingly:  Let us pray during this 50-day season of Easter to be more open to receiving the testimony of Christ as witnessed to us through his apostles, the evangelists, and his Holy Church. Finally, let us pray that, through grace, we ourselves can serve as more faithful witnesses to the truth of Christ; for when WE become witnesses to Christ—when WE begin taking up crosses out of love—we allow Christ to use our own hearts to reveal his true light to a world sorely in need of love.
Bro. Rene