“An honest man embraced by zeal and living faith, says St. John Chrysostom,  is capable of correcting an entire village.”

(Plan de la Academia de San Miguel. Barcelona, 1859, p. 12).

STRENGTH OF TESTIMONY

Each one of us carries in our memory and our heart, some persons who have brought us closer to God with the testimony of their lives. They are not great heroes, nor famous, but their enthusiasm, their commitment, their faith, and their happiness has moved us to re-establish ourselves or that we strengthen our following of Jesus.  And, of course, at some time in our lives we also have been a testimony for others.

When in the gospel I see the vocation of the disciples, I understand the reasoning.  For example, Levi “in passing, he saw Levi …and says to him:  follow me … he rose and followed him (Mc 2,14).  And the gospel further tells us; “that he only followed him.”  But … how must Jesus have gazed at him!  Was it a look full of tenderness and compassion, a look without reprimand?

Jesus’ gaze makes you feel accepted, just as you are, he loves you unconditionally and leaves your heart encircled… That unconditional love of Jesus radically changed the lives of the disciples and also changes ours. Each one of us is called to love as he loves us.  We should leave behind our security and selfishness so that we can re-orientate the proper existence as a key to share life with others.  He transforms us and is capable of correcting the course of our life changing our poor values into values of the kingdom.

To maintain our living faith and transmit it to today’s world supposes that we walk with others, in communion:  recount proper experiences, offer a recent testimony, accompany those who seek, provoke questions, make God known with the most needy according to our promise.   We will try to reveal Jesus with our actions, following his footsteps and making the way easy for all the rest.

At which time do I find myself in my following of Jesus?  In which way am I a testimony for others?