It was impossible for the disciples who had lived with Christ, seen his death and resurrection not to tell others what they themselves had lived. In the face of discipline from their leaders, disbelief from those around them and ultimate martyrdom, it was impossible for them not to speak.
It may seem more impossible for us to speak of our own faith. Unlike the disciples, we do not have the reality to fall back on that seeing something in person offers. Our faith relies on what we have not seen but believe nonetheless. When we face obstacles, sometimes embodied by those we respect, our peers and our own mortality, it may be hard to rely on the intangible.
The challenge then is make our faith tangible. We can see visibly the love of the Father in those that we love and that love us. We can see the care and forethought He put into creating the world as our home. We can experience His compassion by allowing others to care for us and by forgiving those with whom we have disagreed. Then, in times of struggle, we can turn to those very real, material moments in our own life when we have experienced the risen Christ. Having known the love of others, experienced God’s love for us in the beautiful sunrise or felt the relief of forgiveness, how could it be impossible to speak about what we have seen and heard?
Anna Mitchell
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