May 21, 2025 Written by 
Angolo dell'apripista

Double Witness

Double Witness

In the life of the Christian there is a "double testimony": that of the Spirit who "opens the heart" by showing Jesus, and that of the person who "by the power of the Spirit" proclaims "that the Lord lives". A testimony, the latter, to be borne "not so much with words" but with "life", even at the cost of "paying the price" of persecution.

Once again, the Holy Spirit and his action in the heart of every believer were the focus of Pope Francis' meditation during the Mass celebrated at Santa Marta on Monday 2 May. The liturgy continues to offer passages from the Acts of the Apostles (16, 11-15) with the first missions of the nascent Church and excerpts of Jesus' discourse during the Last Supper (John, 15, 26 - 16, 4). In particular, in the Gospel of the day we read of Jesus who "speaks of the witness that the Holy Spirit, the Paràclito, will give of him and of the witness that we must also give of him". And Francis emphasised that here the "strongest" word is precisely "witness".

The testimony of the Spirit is also found in the first reading where, while speaking of Lydia, a "purple merchant from the city of Thyatira, a believer in God", it says: "The Lord opened her heart to adhere to Paul's words". But "who touched this woman's heart?" the Pontiff asked himself, recalling that Lidia "felt within herself" something that moved her to say: "This is true! Do I agree with what this man says, this man who bears witness to Jesus Christ'? The answer is "the Holy Spirit". It is he 'who made this woman feel that Jesus was the Lord; he made this woman feel that salvation was in Paul's words; he made this woman feel a testimony'.

It is therefore, the Pope explained, the Spirit who 'bears witness to Jesus. And every time we feel something in our hearts that brings us closer to Jesus, it is the Spirit working within'. Jesus himself explained the action of the Spirit to the disciples: 'He will teach you and remind you of all that I have said'. And the Spirit, Francis added, 'continually opens the heart, as he opened the heart of this lady Lydia', and 'gives witness to hear and remember what Jesus taught us'.

But the testimony, the Pope explained, 'is twofold'. In other words, 'the Spirit gives us the testimony of Jesus and we bear witness with the power of the Spirit of the Lord himself'. Jesus reiterates this again in the Gospel passage: 'When the Paràclito comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness of me; and you also bear witness, because you are with me from the beginning'. And the Lord, Francis pointed out, insists on the characteristics of this testimony - "perhaps the disciples did not understand well," he observed - adding: "I have told you these things so that you will not be scandalised". He explains, that is, "the price of Christian witness" in a direct manner: "They will drive you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will believe that he is worshipping God".

Therefore, the Pontiff summarised, "the Christian, with the strength of the Spirit, bears witness that the Lord lives, that the Lord is risen, that the Lord is among us, that the Lord celebrates with us his death, his resurrection, every time we approach the altar"; and he does so "in his daily life, with his way of acting". It is, he added, 'the continuing witness of the Christian'. At the same time, the Christian must be aware that sometimes this testimony "provokes attacks, provokes persecutions": they are "the small persecutions", such as those of "gossip" and "criticism", but also the persecutions of which "the history of the Church is full", that is, those that lead "Christians to prison" or "even to giving their lives".

It is therefore the same 'Holy Spirit who made Jesus known to us' who urges us 'to make him known, not so much with words, but with the witness of life'. And, the Pope suggested in conclusion, 'it is good to ask the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts, to bear witness to Jesus' and to pray to him like this: 'Lord, may I not turn away from Jesus. Teach me what Jesus taught. Let me remember what Jesus said and did and, also, help me bear witness to these things. May worldliness, the easy things, the things that come precisely from the father of lies, from the prince of this world, sin, not turn me away from witnessing; may I not be scandalised, as Jesus says, to be a Christian because someone avoids me or there are persecutions."

[Pope Francis, S. Marta homily, in L'Osservatore Romano 02-03/05/2016]

3 Last modified on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 04:51
Rate this item
(0 votes)
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Latest from don Giuseppe Nespeca

Previous
« Bringing the fullness of understanding and leading the way
back to top
Who touched Lydia's heart? The answer is: «the Holy Spirit». It’s He who made this woman feel that Jesus was Lord; He made this woman feel that salvation was in Paul's words; He made this woman feel a testimony (Pope Francis)
Chi ha toccato il cuore di Lidia? La risposta è: «lo Spirito Santo». È lui che ha fatto sentire a questa donna che Gesù era il Signore; ha fatto sentire a questa donna che la salvezza era nelle parole di Paolo; ha fatto sentire a questa donna una testimonianza (Papa Francesco)
While he is about to entrust to the Apostles — which in fact means “envoys” — the mission of taking the Gospel to all the world, Jesus promises that they will not be alone. The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, will be with them, and will be beside them, moreover, will be within them, to protect and support them. Jesus returns to the Father but continues to accompany and teach his disciples through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Pope Francis)
Mentre sta per affidare agli Apostoli – che vuol dire appunto “inviati” – la missione di portare l’annuncio del Vangelo in tutto il mondo, Gesù promette che non rimarranno soli: sarà con loro lo Spirito Santo, il Paraclito, che si porrà accanto ad essi, anzi, sarà in essi, per difenderli e sostenerli. Gesù ritorna al Padre ma continua ad accompagnare e ammaestrare i suoi discepoli mediante il dono dello Spirito Santo (Papa Francesco)
Jesus who is the teacher of love, who liked to talk about love so much, in this Gospel speaks of hate. Exactly of hate. But he liked to call things by the proper name they have (Pope Francis)
Gesù che è maestro dell’amore, al quale piaceva tanto parlare di amore, in questo Vangelo parla di odio. Proprio di odio. Ma a lui piaceva chiamare le cose con il nome proprio che hanno (Papa Francesco)
St Thomas Aquinas says this very succinctly when he writes: "The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit" (Summa Theologiae, I-IIae, q.106 a. 1). The New Law is not another commandment more difficult than the others: the New Law is a gift, the New Law is the presence of the Holy Spirit [Pope Benedict]
San Tommaso d’Aquino lo dice in modo molto preciso quando scrive: “La nuova legge è la grazia dello Spirito Santo” (Summa theologiae, I-IIae, q. 106, a. 1). La nuova legge non è un altro comando più difficile degli altri: la nuova legge è un dono, la nuova legge è la presenza dello Spirito Santo [Papa Benedetto]
Even after seeing his people's repeated unfaithfulness to the covenant, this God is still willing to offer his love, creating in man a new heart (John Paul II)
Anche dopo aver registrato nel suo popolo una ripetuta infedeltà all’alleanza, questo Dio è disposto ancora ad offrire il proprio amore, creando nell’uomo un cuore nuovo (Giovanni Paolo II)
«Abide in me, and I in you» (v. 4). This abiding is not a question of abiding passively, of “slumbering” in the Lord, letting oneself be lulled by life [Pope Francis]
«Rimanete in me e io in voi» (v. 4). Questo rimanere non è un rimanere passivo, un “addormentarsi” nel Signore, lasciandosi cullare dalla vita [Papa Francesco]
سَلامي أُعطيكُم – My peace I give to you! (Jn 14:27). This is the true revolution brought by Christ: that of love […] You will come to know inconceivable joy and fulfilment! To answer Christ’s call to each of us: that is the secret of true peace (Pope Benedict)
سَلامي أُعطيكُم [Vi do la mia pace!]. Qui è la vera rivoluzione portata da Cristo, quella dell'amore [...] Conoscerete una gioia ed una pienezza insospettate! Rispondere alla vocazione di Cristo su di sé: qui sta il segreto della vera pace (Papa Benedetto)

Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 1 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 2 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 3 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 4 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 5 Dialogo e Solstizio I fiammiferi di Maria

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741


Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.