When we find something good we tend to tell it to others. Examples: of a good restaurant, a good clothing shop, a nice tuition teacher, a nice film, a good holiday site etc., the list goes on and goes on.

When we say, witness, this is to mean to testify or stand for it. When you stand for a particular concept, it is called witness. The whole world depends on witness. It might be of anything. Even in the courts of law, we can see how much the jury’s decision depends on the witness/witnesses.

A witness is supposed to testify what he/she had seen. But that is purely a personal matter, what maters are the actual events as such.

In Christian term-‘witness’ means to testify what Jesus has done or stand for faith in Jesus. Witness is a common term in the world but when it comes to our Christian aspect, it is something different.

WE ARE ALL CALLED TO WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST.WE HAD NOT SEEN JESUS PHYSICALLY BUT WE EXPERIENCED IN OUR LIVES THROUGH FAITH AND WE ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY FOR WHAT JESUS HAD DONE IN OUR LIVES AS WELL AS STAND FOR THE FAITH IN JESUS. EVANGELIZATION MEANS BRINGING JESUS TO THE PEOPLE.

BIBLE VERSES;

Mt 28:19

Acts 1:8

1 John 1:1-6

HOW TO WITNESS:

    Broadly there are 2 ways of witnessing which is registered in the Scriptures. They are:

1.By words of Power -Preaching

2.By works of Power -Healing and Miracles

We have to see what God has placed in us whether words or works. Those who see Jesus in faith cannot but speak of Jesus (Jn 4:28f – the Samaritan woman / Acts 4:20 – When Apostles were threatened not to preach about Jesus Christ, they told the Jewish authorities that they cannot stop speaking of what they had seen and heard)

HOW WE CAN WITNESS JESUS IN OUR ORDINARY DAILY LIVES?

One thing we should understand that we have to explore the ways how we can witness for Him. Everyone cannot go and preach or do the works of power. God has placed us into certain areas  and in certain gifts. We have to use these gifts and exercise witnessing. The best way among the family people to witness is through our holy lives. There is a story to illustrate this fact.

There was a youth rally in England and young people from many nations were discussing how the Christian "Good News" might be spread. They talked about propaganda by way of the print and electronic media, by pamphlets and radio sermons. They talked about video productions. Then girl from Central Africa spoke. She said, ‘when we want to bring Christ’s message to a village, we don’t send them preachers or books, we choose a good Christian family to go and live there. Their Christian example usually changes the village’. There is an old saying
                        "Words push; examples pull".
Morale of this story: any good Christian is a walking Bible, even though he or she has never quoted a verse. In fact, good Christian example may be the only gospel illiterate can read – {taken from ‘The Next 500 stories’ by REV. FRANK MIHALIC SVD

It is the family, which is the root of Christianity and its works. Many missionaries / Priests / Nuns had come into world with a clear vision because of good families. They got these ideas when they were small. We can witness on one to one basis, we can witness through service with love, we can witness through listening to others etc, and if our witness does not have love then there is no use. Instead of brining people we will distort the souls.

One of the simplest ways to witness is through Ministries in the Prayer groups, and the other is giving testimonies. When we come together to worship our Lord is itself is witnessing for Christ. Ministries are nothing but service to the community and service to the Lord Himself. Exercising our Gifts through ministries, we exactly do what our Lord has commanded. We cannot witness alone and that is not expected by our Lord. It should be by a community but with an individual effort. When we render our best through ministries, people come to experience the Lord in a different way since the gifts are different to one another. But to witness through ministries is called for COMMITMENT. Without it we cannot do anything. Even if we belong to one ministry only, it is no problem as long as we truly committed to it and do justice for it. People join many ministries and end up with nothing. Their daily lives are filled with programmes / outings / busy schedules but in actual if any ministry need them for concrete they are not there. It is not just filling our lives with many things but it is to open our hearts to Jesus and committed to serve Him. A person without commitment is a person who builds house on sand. A person with commitment is a person who builds house on solid ground.

In our prayer group, we have outreach ministry and we do the following works:
a) meeting the runaway maids in the  embassys
b) meeting catholic brothers who are living in camps
c) Hospital visits
d) taking care of New comers.
When we reach out to others, we are not only bringing Jesus to others but also we grow personally in the prayer relationship

The second way is to testify before the community what the Lord has done in our lives. If we cannot testify before our own brothers and sisters, then how are we going to witness for Jesus. For Jesus says ‘If you acknowledge before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in Heaven’.

Bachelors who are living among others can well witness for Christ by showing good character, prayer life and attitudes. Christians, who are working in offices and other responsible places, can witness for Christ by their sincerity and dedication to work as well as good Christian attitudes.

OPEN TO THE SPIRIT:

 It is not our decision to witness but rather it is the Command of Jesus. You have not chosen me, I chose and appointed you that you may bear fruits. So we have to wait on the Holy Spirit to direct us since He is the Spirit of Jesus. We read in the Bible when Paul wanted to go to Asia province, the Spirit forbid him (Acts 16:6-7). Sometimes it is happening to us also. We wanted to do things on our own and end up with desperate or boasting. Jesus said ‘when you stand before sanherdin, do not afraid of what to say and what to act.  For the spirit of my father will tel you what to say and what to act'

Open to the Spirit means, opening our hearts to the working of the Holy Spirit.
Spending time in prayer will help us to know God’s will in our lives.
Accepting the sufferings is also a form of witnessing; this will make our faith strong and make it grow from the stage of emotions to a strong conviction. When we have strong conviction, we can witness for Jesus at any time and anywhere. Jesus said to St. Gertrude the Great (virgin 1256-1301) – the prophetess of the devotion to Our Lord’s Sacred Heart, "I am better pleased with your good intentions which you offer when in state of suffering, than with sweetness of you devotion which gives pleasure to yourself.

OBSTACLES IN WITNESSING:

1. Vision is blurred: when Christians turn into cultures and theories rather than the Person and the Good news, the vision is lost or damaged.

2. Fear of loosing respect / friendship or ashamed because it does not have any place.

3. Empty words and not having any experience of the Lord.

4.Secret sins that is in operation within us stops us from witnessing for Christ (we cannot serve two masters)

Lastly in the words of our Pope John Paul-II, we need to do re-evangelisation and new evangelisation. New evangelisation means bringing back the old values in our piety. In short, we have to witness for Christ among Catholics and Christians.

LET US ASK OURSELVES IN THIS DAY:

What is the evidence I have to show that I am a Christian? I leave it you for the answer. Let everyone of us think about it and let us answer to the Lord. If something is missing, then let us pray for the Grace to fill up.
 

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