Witnessing: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

A Reflection on the First Reading for May 1st, 2022:
Third Sunday of Easter

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Acts
5.28-32, 40b-41

In those days: The high priest questioned the Apostles, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.”

But Peter and the Apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than human beings. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Then the council ordered the Apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.
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Reading this passage from Acts, and many of the other stories about the Apostles and the early Church, I have to wonder how the council thought their stern admonitions were going to play out. Here we hear that the high priest had already given the Apostles “strict orders not to teach in this Name,” and that clearly didn’t work. So they question the Apostles again, and let them go, ordering them “not to speak in the Name of Jesus.” The council is acting here on a very human level. They believe that frightening the Apostles, reminding them of the possible consequences of disobedience, will be enough to deter them. They clearly haven’t been listening – “we must obey God rather than human beings.” Peter and the other Apostles are not going to be deterred by warnings. They show later that they also will not be deterred by beatings, by imprisonment, by banishment, by hunger and nakedness and distress, by slander, by disappointment, or by any other means. The Apostles go on to face exile and martyrdom and do it gladly “for the sake of the Name.” 


The faith of the early Church is always a challenge to us as modern believers. There are places in the world where it is still a danger to witness to Christ, but those places can seem pretty far removed from our daily context. I’ve never been asked to suffer beatings, imprisonment, privation, or exile, but I can’t say that I’ve never been called to “suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.” The way of Christ runs contrary to the ways of the world. Being a witness to Christ means that I often stand for things that are unpopular or uncomfortable. Sometimes it even requires me to stand for things that I struggle to accept. Still, I can be glad if the only thing that Christ asks me to suffer as his witness is discomfort. 


And then I am reminded of the other side of the coin. Yes, we may be called to suffer as witnesses of Christ — small sufferings, and maybe even tremendous sufferings. But like the Apostles, when we embrace these things and see them through Christ’s eyes, we will rejoice that we are considered worthy to bear these things “for the sake of the Name.” The martyrs give example by going to their deaths cheerfully, knowing that they are being further conformed to Christ and that their death will bear witness to Him. Death seems in comparison a small thing to them. 


May I always try to approach the inconveniences of witnessing to Christ in the same way; they are so small in comparison with the great grace of becoming more like Christ. 


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Sr. Gemma
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