Christians must provide credible witness

ANSA) - Vatican City, November 30 - Christians must provide credible witness with their lives, POpe Francis said Friday, according to Vatican News.
    On the Feast of St Andrew Pope Francis addressed believers at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta urging them to be close to the Church of Constantinople, of which Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron.
    Pope Francis invited the faithful to "leave everything in order to go forward in proclamation and witness, just as Peter and Andrew did".
    The Pope also invited Christians to be close to the Church of Constantinople and he prayed for unity between the Churches.
    The Pope focused his reflection on announcing the Gospel urging believers to put aside "that attitude, that sin, that vice" that each of us has "within" in order to be "more coherent" and to be able to be credible in proclaiming Jesus with our own witness.
    To proclaim Jesus Christ, he said, is not just bringing "simple news" but "the only great Good News" he said.
    He underscored the fact that it has nothing to do with advertising a good person who has done good, has healed many people and taught us beautiful things: "No, it's not advertising. It's not proselytizing (…) it is not what a preacher does according to the logic of marketing." Announcing Christ, the Pope continued, is neither proselytism nor advertising nor marketing: it goes well beyond.
    Thus, he reflected on the mission of the apostle who puts his own life on the line and he recalled an Argentinean saying that uses the image of "putting one's own flesh on the grill:" that is, really putting oneself at stake. He specified that "this journey to announce the Gospel by putting my life on the line" is a one-way journey: "There is no return ticket" the Pope said, "turning back would be apostasy" while testimony means "putting one's life on the line" and "doing what I say I do".
    To be able to proclaim the Word we must be witness, the Pope reiterated and he lamented the "scandal" brought about by those who proclaim to be Christians and then live "as pagans, as non-believers", as if they did not have "faith".
    He called for coherence in life which is what gives credibility to witness and described those who "put their lives on the line to the end" as martyrs.