To Know Christ is to Proclaim Him Boldly

Today’s readings invite us into a deep and challenging truth: to truly know Jesus is not just to believe quietly, but to witness boldly, even in the face of rejection. This theme resonates powerfully with the life and witness of Saint Athanasius, whose memorial we celebrate today. In the first reading (Acts 13:44–52), Paul and Barnabas proclaim the word of God with courage. Yet, instead of universal acceptance, they encounter jealousy, contradiction, and persecution. Still, they do not retreat. Rather, they declare, “I have made you a light to the Gentiles… to the ends of the earth.” What is striking is not just their boldness, but their clarity of mission. Rejection does not silence them, it redirects them. And even as they are driven out, the disciples are “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” This same boldness flows from the Gospel (John 14:7–14), where Jesus reveals a profound truth: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” To know Jesus is to encounter God Himself. Philip’s request, “Show us the Father,” echoes a longing in every human heart. Yet Jesus responds that God is already revealed, in Him, through His words, and in His works. Faith, then, is not blindness; it is recognition. It is seeing God present in Christ and trusting in that presence. This is exactly what Saint Athanasius defended with his whole life. In a time of great confusion and heresy, when many denied the full divinity of Christ, Athanasius stood firm. He proclaimed that Jesus is truly God, one with the Father. For this truth, he suffered exile multiple times. Yet like Paul and Barnabas, he did not compromise. He knew that if Christ is not truly God, then our salvation is incomplete. His courage reminds us that knowing Christ demands fidelity, even when it is costly. Dear friends, we are invited today to examine our own discipleship. Do we truly know Christ, not just intellectually, but personally? And if we do, are we willing to witness to Him when it is uncomfortable, when it costs us something? The Psalm reminds us: “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.” But how will they see, unless someone proclaims? How will they believe, unless someone lives the truth with conviction? Like Athanasius, like Paul and Barnabas, we are called to be lights, not hidden, but shining. To know Christ is to reflect Him. To believe in Him is to continue His work. May we ask for the grace today to know Jesus more deeply, to trust Him more firmly, and to proclaim Him more boldly in our world.