August 23, 2007

“’God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.’” Acts 2:32.
In Peter’s speaking to the crowd on Pentecost morning, he proclaims that he and the other disciples were eye witnesses to the fact of Jesus being raised from the dead by His Father. Peter is, also, giving a witness, or a testimony, to being an eyewitness to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Not only did he see the events that he speaks about, he is bearing testimony to those facts to many people, follow Jews, who did not previously know about them. Peter was telling his story. He was laying out the facts for his listeners to hear, to judge within their own hearts, and to respond accordingly.
I am challenged to think through how clearly I present the story of Jesus, as I understand it, to those around me, who may or may not have previous understanding of who Jesus is. One, do I present the story, or do I resist, for some reason? Two, when I tell the story, do I “water it down” or do I present it in a clear, understandable, and truthful manner? Without getting all hung up about it, I need to challenge myself with this thinking. Peter’s life, as with all the other disciples, was dramatically changed as a result of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and at the coming of the Holy Spirit, and now, he was bold in proclaiming this truth! If Peter was transformed like that, I, too, can reflect a similar transformation, even though I was not an “eyewitness”. I can still be a witness “of the fact”.
How are you doing in telling the story of Jesus? Are you being a witness to the His resurrection? How is that showing in your life? St. Francis of Assisi was known for saying that he witnessed to the Gospel of Jesus in all that he did, and sometimes he even used words. His point is obvious: our life, not our words, is our prime witness or testimony of the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. Do you and I live in such a way that gives testimony to His resurrection?
Take some time today to reflect on your witness. What does your life say? Not just your words. If you are like me, it is a mixed report! But I desire to be a consistent “witness of the fact”. How about you?