This coming Sunday will be one not to miss! As you know, we are in the liturgical season known as "ordinary time." In these months, the church invites each of us to ask the question, how do we live out the truths learned in Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost?

Our preaching series has us considering the tenth and eleventh chapters of Revelation. Here, we find the so-called "two witnesses" of the Apocalypse. How do these representative figues live out the revelation given to St. John? The answer to that question is precisely the answer to the question posed by Ordinary Time.

These witnesses operate in power, able to unleash the authority of heaven. They also suffer, giving their lives in service of God's call. In both their power and their suffering, the "witnesses" proclaim the coming of Jesus, in word and deed.

This is the call of every disciple of Jesus Christ. Our lives are sacramental, they point beyond themselves. As people see us, they see more than us. In a sense, they look through us, beholding behind our physical selves the very mystery of the universe.

In our suffering, the world sees the truth of Lent. The Kingdom is not here in full. In this world we can expect tribulation. In picking up our cross, we follow the one who shows us hands marred by nails. In our supernatural power, the world sees the truth of Pentecost. The Kingdom is here now. We live with the expectation that our hands can bring down signs and wonders from heaven.

In studying the passage, I'm struck that there isn't one witness, there's two. The burden of living out our faith can't be borne alone. We need one another. We need community, we need encouragement, we need friendship. Please join us Sunday as we give witness, together, to the power and hope of the gospel!