The Power of Witnessing

By: Missionary Team

Lately, I've been hearing quite a bit about witnessing. The first time was in a homily by Fr. Mike Schmitz. To preframe... about 4 years ago there was a dad in my parish who spoke on the miracle at Fatima. He said, "Do you know how we often ask ourselves 'Why can't God simply appear to us and make Himself known to the world so that they can believe in Him?' Well that is what God did at Fatima."

This has lots of wisdom. I don't know how much you know about the miracle at Fatima. If you're like me, probably not as much as you should. However, that day, October 13th, thousands of people saw the sun dance and they were all soaking wet from a spontaneous downpour, yet after the sun danced, they were dry. Others actually saw the Blessed Virgin. How has the world not converted to believing Christ to be the true God?

Fast forward to Fr. Mike's Homily which was streamed the Third Week of Easter, Father touched on Fatima, and how the reason the world has not converted to Christ is because of the lack of witnessing. Those who saw the miracle or who were told of the miracle were not willing to be rejected by the world for witnessing that experience.

This led me to think about the miracle of the resurrection. Literally, the miracle that dictates whether Christianity is truth or a farce. Jesus had appeared to His mother, His apostles, and some of His disciples. Probably not more than those who experienced the miracle at Fatima. Nevertheless, the world to this day still believes in Christ, and the world has Christianity spread everywhere. What did they do differently?

Here, I just want to disclose that I'm not an expert, and I am just a Catholic who has become passionate about spreading the faith. Because it’s no secret that the world is dropping Christ more and more. The numbers who actually believe that Christ is the Eucharist becomes less and less. There are more people in the world who believe in nothing than those who believe in God. What I'm saying is that this is urgent. Think for one moment, what would be the thing that would cross the line and cause you to give up everything to tell people about Jesus.

What is that thing? I think that now is the time. I have enjoyed the world that the early Church suffered to give a foundation. But who now will witness that Jesus Christ has given my life purpose, He is the only one that can, and He wants to do it for you. The answer is you and me. Brothers and Sisters, "Souls are going to hell every day because I am not doing anything about them," as one of the Hard as Nails Ministries staff says.

In the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer, there was an excerpt for 1 Peter. "You must proclaim what he has done for you: He has called you out of darkness, into His own wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9). What I love about this is it shows the heart of what it is to witness. To share what He has done for you.

To witness, we must first be grateful. It is in seeing that we have received, that we can share what we have received, and the joy of receiving it. This verse expresses this gratitude powerfully when it states, "He has called you out of darkness, into His own wonderful light." It says, "His own." He didn't have to share it, but He does. Second, I love how it says “proclaim”.

That image is one of certainty and with courage. Doing so as to tell as many as possible. I picture someone standing on a garbage can yelling the truth. Now this might not be the most prudent thing to do if our goal is to bring others to Christ. However, that same fire and intensity, when it is brought into the intimacy of a conversation, is exactly how Christ spoke to His apostles, that allowed their hearts to be transformed to the point of being brutally murdered for Him. And this is how Christ calls us to witness.

What I am saying is hold nothing back. As Sr. Claire says, "All or nothing". Whatever it is you are most passionate about, and most willing to argue in favor of, it is that way which you must tell those you meet and love about Christ. For me, I am most passionate about politics. I could argue all day about politics.

If I don't know an answer, I'm finding it and I'll be back to you as soon as I can. Yet if I will do this for politics, I sure as heck better do this for Jesus Christ who stops at nothing to be with me for eternity! What is it you are passionate about? Whatever it is, be as passionate about Christ as you are about that thing. "And Jesus said, 'Follow me.'"