Making loving Christ first

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The Father bears witness from heaven of His Son: the Holy Spirit bears witness, descending bodily in likeness of a dove...the Archangel Gabriel bears witness bringing good tidings to Mary: the Virgin Mother bears witness: the blessed manger bears witness...Symeon bears witness...Anna also, the prophetess...bears witness..John the Baptist bears witness...Jordan is witness among rivers; the sea of Tiberias among seas: blind and lame bear witness, and dead men raised to life, and devils...five loaves multiplied into five thousand..His former enemies...the blessed Paul...the Twelve Apostles...the Gentile converts...You are called a Christian; be tender of the name..."Let your good works shine before men." - St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Jesus speaks and says that his witness is true of Himself(John 8:14) and that the Father bears witness of Him (John 8:18). We know that God is the one who fills all things (Ephesians 4:10). When the Lord says that the Father bears witness of Him He summarizes what St. Cyril has said above, that when God bears witness, all of creation bears witness.

When it comes to us humans, however, St. Cyril tells us that it is we who must be tender of the name "Christian." We must choose to bear witness of Christ. This can be difficult. We might even become nervous of appearing overly zealous about our religion or being the "crazy Christian" of our workspaces and schools.

But I think there is an alternative to preaching all day long. In the sayings of the Desert Fathers it says, "If a man does not say in his heart, in the world there is only myself and God, he will not gain peace." And St. Seraphim of Sarov says, "Acquire a spirit of peace and a thousand around you may be saved."

Let us also not forget the old saying, "A glass can only spill what it contains." Therefore our witness is up to us and what we pour within ourselves, specifically with what we pour within ourselves in the time we have in solitude as the Lord himself says, "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door(the church fathers interpret this as being the heart) and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you(Matthew 6:6)."

Keep in mind also the saying of St. Siluoan as well, "Our brother is our life" and of St. Anthony the Great, "When we have gained our brother, we have gained Christ." My salvation is my neighbor's. When St. Alonius of The Desert Fathers says to say in your heart there is only yourself and God, he isn't saying to abandon your neighbor. But rather for the sake of him, keep your eyes upon yourself and you will gain him.

Is it any wonder why so many of our saints have lived apart from men and yet men flock to them. If we are compelled to speak by God, let us speak. But I think more often than not, we are to become a vessel for God to use as He wills. This is our greatest witness, not to take our religion seriously, but rather to love Christ above all else and to see the salvific work in our practice. Thus we keep it out of love for God and our good works are known to all.