Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.Why not plan your defense? Simply, because you will be thinking the way humans do, and not how God wants you to. You may be concentrating on defending your beliefs or your actions, when instead God may be wanting to challenge the conscience of your attacker. You may be trying to defend your life when God may be calling you to martyrdom. You may think to focus on one thing, while the listener may need to hear something completely different.
I am part of the cursio movement in Flagstaff, and every year, for weeks before the event, I would prepare my talk, and rehearse it multiple times. One year I planned and practiced for months, and at the time of the talk I simply prayed for the spirit to give me the words I need to reach these men in their lives. I remember saying that prayer, and I remember speaking for about 40 minutes, and I remember sitting down utterly exhausted, but not remembering anything that I said. I don’t even know if I said what I planned to say. I felt the spirit flowing through me, and I do believe that He gave me the words that I needed at that time. Afterwards I was told by many that my talk was very moving. I would respond, that that is great, I don’t remember any of it, the spirit was using me to talk to you.
This is a real thing, it is not something that you should take lightly, if you love and trust in the lord He will give you the words you need at the moment you need Him. You simply need to pray and ask for His help before you begin. But don’t forget, sometimes the best words, are no words at all. So be open to that as well.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Help me today to be the servant and conduit you need me to be to bring others to you and to increase your kingdom of heaven.