Be a Faithful and Courageous Witness

From a Commentary on Psalm 118 by Saint Ambrose, Bishop

"As there are many kinds of persecution, so there are many kinds of martyrdom.   

Every day you are 

a witness to Christ.  

A knight of Christ being tempted by the Spirit of Fornication

You were tempted by the spirit of fornication, 

but feared the coming judgment of Christ 

and did not want your purity 

of mind and body to be defiled:   

you are a martyr of Christ.  

Spirit of Avarice

You were tempted by 
the spirit of avarice

 to seize the property of a child 

and violate the rights of a defenseless widow, 

but remembered God’s law and 

saw your duty to give help, 

not act unjustly: 

you are a witness of Christ.   

Christ wants witnesses 

like this to stand ready, 

as Scripture says:  

Do justice for the orphan 

 










and 
defend the widow.   

Spirit of Pride

You were tempted 

by the spirit of pride 

but saw the poor and the needy and looked 

with compassion on them, and 

loved humility rather than arrogance:   

you are a witness of Christ.   

What is more, your witness 

was not in word only but also in deed.  

Mother Teresa of Calcutta a True Witness of Christ... WE CAN BE ONE TOO!

Who can give greater witness 

than one who acknowledges 

that the Lord Jesus has come in the flesh  

and keeps the commandment of the Gospel?   

One who hears but does not act, 

denies Christ.   

Even if he acknowledges Him by his words, he denies Him by his deeds.   

How many will say to Christ: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy and cast out demons and work many miracles, all in your name?  

On that day He will say to them: Depart from me all you evildoers.  The true witness is one who bears witness to the commandments of the Lord Jesus and supports that witness by deeds.

 

How many hidden 

martyrs there are, bearing witness to Christ

each day 

and acknowledging 

Jesus as the Lord!   

The Apostle knew this kind of martyrdom, this faithful witness to Christ.  This is our boast, he said, the witness of our conscience.   

How many have borne witness in public 

but denied it in private!  

 Do not believe every spirit, he said, 

but know from their fruits whom you should believe.   

 

Be faithful and courageous 

when you are persecuted in public.   

Even in those unseen persecutions 

there are kings and governors, 

judges with terrible power.   

You have an example in the temptation 

endured by the Lord.

In another place we read:   

Do not let sin be king in your mortal body.   

You see the kings before whom you are made to stand, 

those who sit in judgment over sinners, 

where sin is in control.   

There are as many kings as there are sins and vices; 

it is before these kings that we are led 

and before these that we stand.    

These kings have their thrones in many hearts.   

But if anyone acknowledges Christ, 

he immediately makes a prisoner 

of this kind of king and 

casts him down from the throne of his own heart.   

How shall the devil maintain his throne

 in one who builds a throne 

for Christ in his heart?"

Taken from, The Liturgy of the Hours, according to the Roman Rite Catholic Book Publishing Corp.  New York 1975

Go to You Tube for a WITNESS OF FAITH that should blow you mind away...

 http://youtu.be/XJOJaFwxBeY

And I am certain that God, 

who began the good work within you, 

will continue his work until it is finally finished 

on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

                                                             Philippians 1:6