WITNESS

Acts 3:13-15,17-19; Ps 4 Lord, let your face shine on us;1 John 2;1-5; Luke 24:35-48

there is a common theme in the readings for today and it can be summed up by the following: witness.

Peter int he first reading is give  testimony to what he has witnesses, "the author of life you put to death; God raise whim from the dead.  Of this we are all witnesses."


In the gospel Jesus reminds the Apostles of what they have witnessed, "Thus it was written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things."

If that isn't obvious enough, then the 2nd reading as well as something to say about being a witness, "Those who say, "I know him," but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. "   This is definitely about being a authentic witness, where what we profess and how we live are in harmony.

Witness! Witness! Witness!

Think about being a witness for a moment.

Normally, we associate being a witness in a court case or hearing.

There is the eyewitness, someone who has first hand experience of the matter at hand.  Then there is the hearsay witness, someone who heard or read from another source what has happened in regards to the matter of interest.

There is the expert witness, someone who has specialized knowledge in regards to expertise in a particular field relating to the case.

My personal favorite is the reputation witness.  This is someone who is called to the stand to testify about the reputation of another who has already testified or who is on trial.  The reputation witness will help determine whether someone's is reliable and trustworthy and all around good person or  a fraud.

What does our life give witness to as it unfolds each day anew?  What is our life give credibility to the witness of our faith?  How does our life prove our faith true and trustworthy?

What choices do we make that corroborate our profession of faith?  This is our witness.

Think about your witness, the witness you give by what you say or don't say, do or don't do.

How does our lifestyle as a witness corroborate our faith?

If we were to bring in a reputation witness on our behalf, what would they testify in regards to the faith we profess and the life we live?