evidence

Dt 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147 Praise the Lord, Jerusalem; Matthew 5:17-19

The words of Moses to the people as they are about to enter into the promise land, "Observe them carefully (statues and decrees of the Lord), for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations..."

Thus you will give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence.

Pope Benedict states, "possibility of conversion entails that we learn to read the events of life in the light of faith animated by the Holy Fear of God."

Evidence of wisdom and intelligence is brought to light by a life of faith in a world that seems faithless.

This past week I spent a few days in Rome on a little excursion, trip.

One of those days I had the good fortune, blessing, to be at the catacombs of St. Callixstus.

It is a 90 acre cemetery that dates back to the 2nd century. The oldest tomb dates 140 AD and the most recent to 350 AD. The cemetery contained close to a half a million graves of Christians.

As you walk around the catacombs there are symbols of faith every where but one that stood out was the notation of MR, which stood for Martyr, someone who died for the faith, someone who was faithful until the end, someone who gave evidence of his wisdom and intelligence.

Here was someone who learned to read the events of life in the light of faith.

The silent witness of the men and women who gave their life in the early church was overpowering. The uproar of silence spoke volumes of faith, gave evidence of wisdom and intelligence, lived out the words of Moses to the people before they entered into the promise land.

"...what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, Our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?"

In fact, the christians called the place where they laid the slain bodies of their brothers and sisters not the necropolis as the greek used, the place of the dead, but rather they called it cemetery, which was a dormitory or a place of rest, until awaken in glory.

Death was an entrance into light, hope was embraced even in giving ones life.