The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.
Saint John the Divine, in his Gospel and three Letters, insists that the disciples of Jesus must give testimony to what they have seen and heard. They must witness to what they have witnessed. These first disciples were enormously important to the early church, so much so that, after Judas hanged himself, Matthias was chosen to take his place. Matthias' most important qualification, after his fidelity, was that he had been with the Lord since his baptism. As Saint Peter explained:
Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
It's fascinating then, that Ananias told Saint Paul, "for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard."
Saint Paul had not walked with the Lord before his crucifixion and death. He did not witness the Resurrection. In fact, in his letters he wrote nothing of Jesus' teachings. Of incidents in the life of the Messiah, he cites only the Last Supper, his death and resurrection. But he often speaks of the revelation that came to him on the road to Damascus. One of the earliest preachers of the Good News, Saint Paul never saw a copy of any gospel; they weren't written yet. He must have heard stories of Jesus, but he knew the Lord more directly than the stories they told. He knew the Lord personally.
It helped that they were both Jews, educated in and informed by the Word of God from Abraham to Zechariah. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he knew the mind of Christ.
Through his own experience on the road to Damascus Saint Paul underwent the death and resurrection of Jesus. He was blinded by the light, rendered so helpless he had to be led by the hand, and then healed by the baptism of Ananias. This incident defined his ministry as he went throughout the Roman Empire, inviting others to know the Lord.
In this 21st century Christians are called to give personal testimony of their knowledge of the Lord. We should refer to the Gospels and the innumerable stories of our saints, we should be informed by our philosophical and theological traditions, we should be inspired by our liturgies, especially of Baptism and Eucharist; but we must also give personal testimony.
Children should know of their parents' religious experience. They should hear the stories of the grandparents' beliefs and practice. Some of those stories will be truly of crucifixion and resurrection, of addictions, compulsions and freedom, of suicidal ideation and relief. They will recall moments of overwhelming fear and unexpected, heaven-sent courage. They will describe the miracle of grace which so often appears in ordinary, everyday life.
I have witnessed a generation's loss of our Catholic tradition, devout parents whose children cannot be dragged to church. The Greatest Generation was also a Silent Generation. Their grandchildren speak of Catholic religion with astonishing ignorance. But I have also heard many stories of young people accepting the witness of loved ones and turning to the Lord.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.