Can I Get A Witness!

Can I Get A Witness!

“Can I get a witness”, he shouted with his hands raised up high. “Someone must have seen something! Anything! “Somebody please come forward.” He closed his eyes in defeat, “I know someone here sees me”, he said in exasperation. Many had been present, young and old. He was familiar with their fixed eyes, eyes of disbelief, distrust, conjecture, speculation, uncertainty and conviction. There were many hearts, good hearts, brave, fragile, resentful, wary, and scared, but none reacted.

He saw the young and their compassionate eyes. He felt their desire to come to him. He could hear little voices pleading with their mommies and daddies, “the man wants help”. He raised his head and turned toward a mature harsh voice that scolded a child, and then he saw the young being pulled by the hand and led away. All hope was gone, “little children” he thought, “would have come forward”. He was alone without a willing soul to validate the existence of a stranger.
People kept their distance. “Please, can I get a witness to my life before I die? Would you come and pray with me”, he asked for what he believed would be the last time. There was no one who was willing to say, “yes, I was there, you existed.

“Dear Lord,” he whimpered, “forgive them for they know not what they do, there was no one who would come forward in my time of need, no one to hold my hand and pray with me while I waited for you”, he said resolutely.

He continued with declarations, confessions, and through his prayer he felt his pain, sorrow, rejection, loneliness and abandonment begin to lighten and then diminish.

Jesus Christ, son of God, I was your witness. I stood on street corners and proclaimed your name and goodness. I prayed daily for others and asked for your mercy. People mocked me for loving you, stared because of where I lived and because I knew you, ridiculed me for lack of a bath and dirty clothes. Lord, the more we have the less we are. I’ve been happy with the shade of Your trees and have been sheltered by cardboard walls to protect me until You called me home. I did not bother anyone. I simply asked aloud to all to believe in You. I stole from no one. I did not beg, however, there were few generous people who gave to me. I lived with You in my heart and it is filled with joyful faith.

Oh my Lord, my God, I feel you now. I know my time is near. Today, I believe you will call me home. I know You were my witness. God, through Your Son Jesus, You showed me how much You love me. By my faith in You, I remained strong knowing that you believed my life mattered.” He closed his eyes and perished.

We have all been guilty of running away from situations that we are weary about. Sometimes we stay clear of things we know would be right, but fear holds us back. We shy away from people who are marked “weird” or “odd” by society. What’s even more alarming is that we can even shy away from our own family and friends who we call normal.

Aren’t we interesting, us human beings. We are silent in elevators when we are just inches from each other. At the check out stand at the market we can completely ignore the person in front of or behind us. As we arrive and depart from church we avoid eye contact with other believers. If you think about it, we can ignore people all day long. My point is that we CHOOSE to do what we do.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and I went for an early walk, it was about 7:00 a.m. I could already hear the neighborhood awakening. I walked alone as usual to enjoy the glory of a new day. I held my rosary, my daily prayer book and engaged myself in prayer and meditation.

As vehicles passed me I stopped to look up and I waved. I noticed that the overwhelming majority of people I saw this morning did not waive back. Persistent as I am, I continued to waive, and more obvious now. I was pretty hard to miss. It was a great big happy wave! (not so big that I would embarrass let’s say my children, but big enough to be noticed and not ignored) “No one was going to ignore me”, I thought. Ignore, they did! I was straight out let down. To think that people would blatantly ignore another human being was beyond me.

As I turned the bend in the road, a jogger was running toward me on the same side of the street. She looked to be an experienced jogger with a stride that was consistent and energetic, happy I thought she must be with all that adrenaline running through her. I know she saw me, we were just 2 houses away from each other. She took a quick glance over her left shoulder, decided it was clear, and proceeded to jump off the sidewalk that we shared, and trotted across the street to the other side and continued with her jog without a hint of recognition that I was near. I started to feel anger rise within me, and as I did my view of the world began to turn ugly. I stopped myself when I realized that the attitude I was forming was making me feel bad. Right then, I decided, “I refuse to allow others to make me feel bad.” I also refused to cut them some slack. I would continue on as I always did and WAVE TO ALL MY NEIGHBORS. I would conquer some (even if it was just one this morning), they didn’t stand a chance with me today.
I approached the bottom of the hill about to turn the corner when I saw a gentleman who I would guess was in his seventies. I smiled and waived (my regular routine), “How are you doing my neighbor”, I said brightly. He look at me, now standing still on the opposite corner, with his hands in his pockets, and looking right at me and responded, “I’m doing great my neighbor, how are you”, he responded with a nice smile. “Yes”, I thought, “I got one”! We exchanged a few words about the beautiful morning and I continued on my walk feeling hopeful again. I crossed paths with a few more individuals who were wearing their “blind eyes” this morning. Then I saw the cutest little fluffy white dog with its head out the window of an SUV, being escorted by two women. I waved at them cheerfully, they slowed their SUV almost to a halt, looked right at me as if trying to recognize me, and when they realized they didn’t know me, they turned away and just ignore my greeting (no, the dog didn’t bark either). “What a sad situation”, I thought, but it was not going to spoil my good mood or morning.

I rounded the top of the hill and began to walk down when I saw a woman who was working in her garden. This gal has the most incredible flower bed. It is so colorful and beautiful and I admire it each time I pass it. I called out to her “good morning neighbor”! She looked up and responded kindly, “good morning”. I continued, “you have the most incredible garden, I enjoy it each time I pass.” “Well thank you”, she replied smiling. “There are parts of it that are dying because of the heat lately”, she replied still bent over pruning the shrubs but still turning to look at me as we engaged in conversation. “Well”, I said, “it’s still beautiful. You must tend to it with love. Thank you for all of us who get to enjoy it”. She stood up now, seeming to be moved by what she just heard. She looked at me and smiled and shook her head with a mix of surprise and gratefulness, “thank you so much; that makes me feel good. You have a great day”, she finished. “You have a blessed day”, I responded and was on my way.

T-h-a-t’s what I’m talking about. Two people connecting even if it is for just a moment or two. We were able to make eye contact, exchange nice greetings and what was ever more special in this case is that I was able to compliment her, a stranger, on something she valued for herself and the compliment lead to being able to validate that the fact that her efforts were recognized and enjoyed by others.

This world, our world, was designed for us to co-exist. We are called to continue with what God started. Everything begins and ends with God, and God is love.

Pope John Paul II shared a message at the 1966 World Missions Day, “Today Christ asks the baptized: “Are you my witnesses?” And each one is invited to question himself sincerely: “Do I live a strong, serene, and joyful faith, or do I portray the image of a Christian life that is flagging, marred by compromises and easy conformity?”

CHOOSE to be strong and to live a peaceful life. CHOOSE to be joyful and bold about your beliefs. CHOOSE to be generous and compassionate. CHOOSE to be a witness to what God created for us and to carry it on by example throughout your life. Change begins with you. You are the core of your household and a living an example to those you live with and those you communicate with daily. Don’t give people any slack. Be a persistent leader. God made you capable of great things, go out today and be pleasing to God. CAN I GET A WITNESS! YES! I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. GOD LOVE YOU.

“Can I get a witness”, he shouted with his hands raised up high. “Someone must have seen something! Anything! “Somebody please come forward.” He closed his eyes in joy. “I’m here, someone said with excitement. I’m here, I’m, here, I’m here, they echoed. “I am your witness.” Many had been present, young and old. He was familiar with their faith filled eyes, eyes of belief, trust, honesty, truth, certainty and genuineness. There were many hearts, good hearts, brave, soft, loving, joyful, and hopeful, and all reacted.

He saw the young and their compassionate eyes. He felt their desire to come to him. He could hear little young voices conversing with their mommies and daddies, “the man wants help, I’m going”. He raised his head and turned toward a mature soft voice that comforted her child, and then he saw a young boy being prodded and gently pushed forward with loving hands, allowed to come to me. The hope was overwhelming, “little children” he thought, “always come forward first”. He was amidst a crowd willing to validate the existence of a stranger.

People stood shoulder to shoulder and were as close as they could be. “Please, can I get a witness to my life before I die? Would you come and pray with me”, he asked for what he believed, this time, would be the last time. All were willing to say, “yes, I was there, you existed”.

“Dear Lord,” he shouted with joy, “have mercy on us, for those who do Your will, for all who came forward in my time of need, all willing to hold my hand and pray with me while I waited for you”, he said resolutely.

He continued with declarations, confessions, and through his prayer he felt joy, exhilaration, hope, trust, and faith brighter than any day he could remember.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, we are your witnesses. We stood on street corners and proclaimed your name and goodness. We prayed daily for others and asked for your mercy. People loved us for loving you, smiled because we helped each other and because we know you, none among us are needy, because we all share our riches and all that we have and no one goes without. Lord, the more we have the more we share. We’ve been happy with the shade of Your trees and all have sufficient homes to protect us until You call us home. We live with You in our hearts and they are filled with joyful faith.

Oh my Lord, my God, I feel you now. I know my time is near. Today, I believe you will call me home. I know You were my witness too. God, through Your Son Jesus, You showed me how much You love me. By my faith in You, I remained strong knowing that you believed my life mattered.” He closed his eyes content knowing that God would now take his spirit.

A world changed. What place will you live in? And who will you be?