I came across this piece written by Jean Vanier recently titled, Credible Witnesses.  I seek to be a credible witness to Jesus in my life, and I know so many who are credible witnesses.

“John the Baptizer and the beloved disciple, and the first disciples,
And all the disciples of Jesus throughout the ages,
Are called to be witnesses and to point towards Jesus, saying:
“He is the chosen one of God.”

He is the one who came to heal our broken hearts,
To give us peace
And to lead us further into the truth.
Those who are witnesses to Jesus do not give out ideas,
ideologies or even doctrines.
They do not seek followers for themselves and their own glory.
Rather, they seek to lead people to Jesus.

They do not manipulate people
or impose their ideas or way of life on others.
They believe in the compelling power of the truth
and the freedom of people to welcome the truth or not.
They speak of what they have lived, experienced,
seen and heard in their hearts.
They speak out clearly, truthfully and with courage,
even in the face of opposition or mockery.
They tell their story.

They tell how Jesus is healing their hearts of stone,
giving them hearts of flesh,
leading them into the world of universal love and compassion
and breaking down barriers of culture, fear and sin
that close them up in themselves.
Witnesses tell how Jesus is transforming their lives
and bringing them a new inner freedom, peace and joy.

People in our world find hope when they find credible witnesses,
men and women with a living faith,
bearing witness to the presence of God –
more by their lives, their growing compassion
and their dynamic love
than by their ideas or their words.
Jesus said that people will know his disciples
by the love they have for one another.”

Jean Vanier, Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John

Are we a credible witness?

Becky Eldredge

Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.