At that time Jesus came from Nazareth, a town of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
And the moment he came up out of the water, heaven opened before him, and he saw the Spirit
coming down on him like a dove. And these words were heard from heaven, “You are my Son, the
Beloved, the One I have chosen.”
Reflect
The word “martyr” comes from a Greek word usually translated as “witness.” The early Church
saw those we call martyrs as the ultimate witnesses of the Christian faith since they would not
waver from their faith in Jesus, even in the face of torture and death. The power of their witness
drew others to this faith. As Pope Paul VI taught, people listen more to witnesses than to teachers.
If our proclamation of the faith is to be effective, it will be because, like the martyrs, we back up our
words by the way we live.
How do our lives witness to our faith? We live as children of God, responding in faith, hope, and
love to the challenges we face every day. We live by recognizing that God is more powerful than
we could ever dream of being. We trust that God will protect us and support us, no matter what
trials we face – rejection, ridicule, even death. If we follow Christ, even unto death, we will share
In his resurrection as well.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022