On many occasions I have seen the true apostles who took the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel deeply in their hearts and fulfilled them in their daily lives – “Do not be afraid of people! Give witness to me in front of them!” – It was a man who boldly made a sign of the Cross in the public place in the restaurant before and after having his meal. – It was my parishioner Eliza who came to me crying, being bullied and threatened by her Muslim family and telling me that they keep saying – ‘you will come back to us on your knees otherwise…” Yet she hold on tight to her faith in Jesus – It was that priest on Franciszkanska Street in Krakow, wearing priestly black cassock, focused on reciting the Rosary he hold publicly in his hand, making his way slowly among the crowd of noisy tourists – It was that lady waking up early every Sunday morning, getting ready to go to the parochial church for the Sunday Eucharist, while all other family members were asleep and mocking her piety day by day – It was that lady on the bus in Tanzania who – when the time for her usual prayers had come – apologized to her immediate fellow passengers, took out a rosary from her purse and began to recite it calmly with her eyes shut – It was that young seminarian threatened by his parents who – dreaming of seeing their grandchildren – kept on pushing him to leave the seminary or else he would be cursed by them and not allowed to come to their graves. Yet he continued the vocation journey towards priesthood, praying lovingly for the conversion of his parents and their acknowledgement of his vocation. So, do not be afraid of people! Give witness to Jesus Crucified and Risen, Our Lord! He will give you His peace. He will bestow on you the Light and Power of the Holy Spirit enabling you to give courageous witness to Jesus in your daily life!
Fr. Wojciech Kościelniak, Kiabakari, Tanzania