“We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
This is the response of the Apostles when the religious authorities of the time tried to forbid them to continue proclaiming the Risen Lord. But how could they keep silent?
How can we remain silent when we have been touched by the love of the Lord and by the truth? It is the Holy Spirit Himself who urges us, because the love of our Father wants to reach all people. Our Father wants to quench their thirst, satisfy their hunger and awaken their love. And what about us? We can become instruments of His goodness, apostles of His fatherly love. In this way, having been recipients of His love, we become givers of it, for from us also will flow rivers of living water (Jn 7:38).
Our Father proceeds as St Bernard describes: “The love of God brings forth the love of the soul. God first turns His attention to the soul, and then the soul becomes attentive to Him. He cares for her, and so she too begins to care for Him”.
Once we have begun to care for our Father and He communicates His desires to us as His friends, we can no longer be silent and we are compelled to speak of the love of Him who has called us. But not only do we speak of it and bear witness that we have found it, but this same love of God is given to others through our lives.
So can we simply remain silent and thus act against love and imprison it? No! It is impossible, as Peter and John said to the Sanhedrin. Love urges us on! It will not rest and it will not stop pushing us. Let us not hinder it! It would not bear it.