Meditation for May 30, Witnesses to Christ

Jesus has gone away, he has left earth forever. We shall not see Him in this world again. Man will no longer be able to observe the living Christ. When we wish to contemplate, to see Christ, we will have to turn to pictures of Him.

And if these pictures are not true likenesses, is it surprising then that poor man does not recognize the true Jesus Christ? He has been given only disfigured images.

You shall be witnesses to me (Acts 1, 8), Jesus said to the Apostles before ascending into Heaven. "I am going away. I shall no longer be here to see that my Gospel is recognized, but you will be here. I your Christ am going to disappear; it is up to you, My disciples to manifest Christ by faithfully living according to the principles of Christianity. That is the testimony I ask you to give. It will be necessary to assert the glorious beauty of the Christian religion by the Christian splendor of your lives."

Witnesses to Christ, not only grosso modo, in a general way, that is, by the avoidance of serious faults, but even by concern for the least details of a service which will be beautiful because it will be one of great love. That is what is asked of us.

"That is what I desire with my whole heart, my Jesus, But you know that in order to carry out this desire I need powerful assistance, be­cause I have a vacillating will; in prayer, I am full of excellent intentions which I am not capable of executing. Then, when I have occasion to display my courage on the battle field, it seems I no longer desire to give testimony of You; my will is good nevertheless, but it is as if it were powerless. O Jesus do You Yourself help me to bear witness to You."

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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)