Our second reading this weekend has St Paul encouraging St Timothy that he should “not be ashamed of [his] testimony to our Lord.” Now something we have to realize about the Second Letter to Timothy is that St Paul is writing from prison. The year is about 66AD and he’s locked away in a dark dungeon as he is writing these beautiful words of encouragement and exhortation.
Why is Paul in a dungeon?
Because of his testimony to the Lord.
Because he dared to share his experience of being a Christian — because He told other people about how Jesus had changed his life. And because he dared to suggest that this brand new life he found in Jesus is actually available…actually possible ….for everyone.
So there he is in prison, writing to Timothy: Don’t be ashamed to share your testimony. Don’t be ashamed to be a Christian. Don’t be ashamed to live differently. Don’t be ashamed to believe differently than the world around you. Don’t be ashamed to tell other people how Jesus has totally changed your life.
He knows full well that by doing so, Timothy might end up right next to him in that prison cell. But, as his letter says: “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.”
Therefore — “Do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord”
That word “testimony” is important.
We might think of a “testimony” only as sort of “reporting” what has already happened in the past — as in, giving an account of an event that has already occurred, maybe a long, long time ago, and now it’s done.
But apparently the Hebrew word for “testimony” — “Aydooth” — has a much different, much more interesting meaning. This word “aydooth” — “testimony” — actually means something like: “to repeat” — “to do something again” or even “to do time again.”
So really, the Hebrew word for “testimony” means a continuation of a past event, a making present again of a past event.
…When someone declares their TESTIMONY of what God has done in the past, that same power is mysteriously released, mysteriously made present for God to do it again!
It releases that same exact power here and now today!
As Catholics we are perhaps very familiar with this sort of idea when it comes to the sacraments… most especially the Holy Eucharist:
When we eat this bread, and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.
Every single time we celebrate the mass, we proclaim the death of the Lord….We proclaim the resurrection of the Lord… We give TESTIMONY of what Jesus did at the Last Supper, the night before he went to the Cross…
But we’re NOT just reporting historical events. And we’re NOT just putting on a kind of “play” on some sort of “stage” — a lifeless reenactment of something that happened over 2,000 years ago…
No!
The testimony of the Eucharist makes that same exact power present again. Jesus HIMSELF is made present here and now, on THIS altar! The same ancient sacrifice of the Cross is applied again, fresh…new…relevant…contemporary… TODAY! It’s a continuation — a participation — in that same act of divine power and love of Jesus laying down His life for the salvation of the whole world!
That’s what the liturgy ultimate IS… it’s a testimony — an “ay-dooth” — of what God has done in the past, which then releases that same transformational power and presence here and now…
But here’s where things get really interesting! Because a similar sort of thing ALSO happens when we decide to take a risk and share our own personal testimony… Our own “ay-dooth” story about how God has changed our life.
When we tell our story, our testimony:
God’s power is released afresh…
The Holy Spirit touches people’s hearts…
Stubborn minds change…
Healing happens…
Souls wake up…
Conversions break out…
God has done something really important in your life. Many of you can probably call to mind a moment, an experience when God crashed into your life and you suddenly just knew: “This is it. This is what it’s all about.”
Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t be here in the pew today.
What is that story? What is your testimony that only you can share?
“Do not be ashamed of your testimony to the Lord!”
Do not be afraid to tell others that story of God’s love in your life!
A “personal testimony” consists of four basic parts:
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- What was your life like BEFORE Jesus?
- What was the ENCOUNTER — what did He do for you that changed everything?
- What was the FRUIT? — How did your life actually change?
- Where are you at NOW? — What is God still doing in your life today?
I’ll share my own testimony as an example and a demonstration.
[Tell your personal testimony]
That’s MY story, my testimony. And I share it not to try and impress anyone, or look for any kind of pat on the back… It’s just what happened. It’s my experience of God’s love and mercy for me. I cannot claim to have done anything praiseworthy… in fact, I’ve fought and resisted God all along the way. But I share my testimony because it’s real and I want to give glory to the Lord. As Jesus instructed us to say in our gospel today: “‘I am an unprofitable servant; I have done what I was obliged to do.’”
It may sound scary, but we are obliged to give testimony to Jesus.
If that makes you kind of nervous, that’s ok! You don’t have to force it. The courage is not going to come from you. It has to come from the Lord!
But if that is you, if you feel nervous about sharing your story with others, I would encourage you to ask Him for what you need.
In our Gospel today, the apostles cried out: “Lord! Increase our faith!”
And Jesus replied: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
Ask the Lord for more faith! More courage! More trust to share what God has done in your life.
You don’t need a “big,” “flashy” and “impressive” story — you don’t need what some might consider a really “shocking and amazing” testimony for God to be able to do something amazing through you.
You only need your faith, however small or even microscopic it might seem to you at times…
You have a testimony. You have a story. You have an ‘ay-dooth.’
And that is enough.
So, “don’t be ashamed of your testimony.” Don’t believe the lie that your story isn’t good enough to help others come to know that God is alive and real. Trust and believe that God is going to “do it again” — He’s going to release the same power AGAIN here and now… through your story!
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