I believed, therefore I spoke; I have been greatly afflicted. (Psalm116:10; 2Corinthians 4:13)

 There are many ways of believing, but there is only one that justifies; therefore, all those who believe as they should believe show their faith in the same way. To believe as one should and to remain silent is impossible; this is what the Holy Spirit says through the royal prophet David, "I believed, therefore I spoke" (Ps 116:10). In other words, my belief, my faith is not wavering, but firm and unshakable and that is why I speak out.

 Those who attempt to reconcile inexcusable silence with sincere faith attempt the impossible. True believers speak out to confess the truth that they profess, whenever they should, as they should, before those they should, and to say what they should say.

 When they should. We must speak to confess Christ, to make a profession of faith, to defend the teachings of Christ, whenever the good of religion requires it as well as the good of our neighbor. True believers show their faith in what they write, in their conversations, in their speeches, and in their teaching.

 As they should. Seriously, without being provocative, but without cowardice; without affectation but also without being faint-hearted; with charity but without flattery; respectfully but without timidity; without anger but with dignity; without obstinacy but firmly; with courage but without being rash.

 Before those they should. Before their superiors and before their subordinates, before their elders, their peers and the young.

And to say what they should say, whether or not it pleases those who hear it, whether or not it flatters those who listen, whether or not it accords with the beliefs of those who witness this profession of faith.

 To be saved, one must speak out. The words of the apostle Paul are conclusive, "It is by believing with the heart that you are justified, and by making the declaration with your lips that you are saved" (Rom 10:10). Because we are concerned with something which is essential in order to gain the one thing necessary, our personal salvation, it is worth taking time to consider these truths in a practical way.

 There are those who, on the pretext of prudence badly understood, the "prudence of the flesh" which St Paul describes as “death,” contrary to the prudence of the spirit, which is "life and peace," (cf. Rom 8:6) neglect the confession of their beliefs. There are also those who, hiding behind their learning and culture, with "the wisdom of the flesh, which is hostile to God" (cf. Rom 8:7), as the Holy Spirit affirms, remain silent when they ought to speak.

 But we must remember that such silence is inexcusable before God, even though it is highly acceptable among those who find this inexcusable silence the best safeguard for their own impiety. It is not the case that they approve of such conduct in the depth of their own conscience, or that their intelligence applauds it, since such cowardice does not escape reproach in their judgment and in their heart; it is rather that in this way they give more free rein to their foolhardiness and have fewer obstacles to the fulfilment of their plans. Sometimes they intend, by omitting this profession of faith, to be of service to that same faith. But they forget that Christ's doctrine, this faith which they intend to favor with silence, was spread by the early Christians shedding their blood. Thanks to the holy fearlessness of the martyrs and confessors, this inestimable treasure reached us. The courage of our forebears in witnessing to Christ freed us from heresy and schism, from vice and corruption. 

(…)

Let us always detest mediocrity and may we never be among those to whom the prophet Elijah said "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:21). Truly, there is no condition as deplorable as that of those compromisers, responsible for the loss and ruin of all who follow them. The Holy Spirit says it in most eloquent words "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Rev 3:15-16). Nausea, disgust, and vomiting are God's response to treachery, cowardice, laziness and human respect in those who act this way. What a contrast between this kind of conduct and that of the fervent Christians of the catacombs! So great was their triumph, so great it is today after the course of centuries, that they are blessed and praised as heroes of humanity.

 “They were consumed by zeal for the glory of God" (cf. Ps. 69:10), for the defense of his cause, the propagation of his doctrine and the salvation of humanity, "the insults of those insult you have fallen on them" (cf. Ps 69:10) "because they did not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (cf. Matt 10:28). That is why they suffered scorn, persecutions and martyrdom. But later, their very enemies did them justice, repeating what is said in the Book of Wisdom "Fools that we were, we thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. See how they have been numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints? So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us” (cf. Wis 5:4-6).

 So as not to stray from the path of truth, so that he light of justice may shine on us and that the sun of intelligence may illuminate us, let us imitate the royal prophet, making his words a program for our lives: “I believed, therefore I spoke.” Let us hope that those other words may be fulfilled in us, “and I have been greatly afflicted” (Ps. 116:10); such confessions and such afflictions will bring us the incomparable delight of “being counted among the children of God” (Wis. 5:5).