Speak Truth

​STEP #1: LECTIO / READ

Matthew 10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But 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.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”

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​STEP #2: MEDITATIO / MEDITATE

Public speaking is one of our most common fears as human beings. Many people fear public speaking more than death, or heights, or creepy crawlers. While I know some people love being in the spotlight and having all eyes on them, I find it super intimidating to get up and speak in front of people. I realize this is kind of funny since being a youth minister I’m speaking in front of large groups of people practically every week. While I love speaking about the faith, I’ll admit it can still be a little nerve-wracking.

We’ve all been there - someone asks us a question about our faith and we aren’t quite sure how to respond. Our palms get all sweaty and we start stuttering trying to find the right words. Today’s Gospel reading reminds us that we don’t have to worry about saying the right thing at every moment. If we call upon the Holy Spirit in those sudden moments of fear and uncertainty, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say and bring us peace. Every time we receive Christ in the Eucharist, we become living tabernacles. When we give our “yes” and our trust to Christ, we give him the power to work in and through us.

While this Gospel also makes our mission of evangelization seem a little scary, it helps us realize that following Christ often comes at quite the cost. However, if we follow the Lord, the rewards will be far greater than anything we could ever imagine. Even in those moments of persecution or questioning, the Lord will be with you. Let the Lord speak through you.

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​STEP #3: ORATIO / PRAY

“For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Who is someone in your life the Lord is calling you to evangelize?

How does the Lord want to use you?

If someone asked you why you believe in God, how would you respond?

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​STEP #4: CONTEMPLATIO / CONTEMPLATE

“Be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”

“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”

“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

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​FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY...

Speak truth to those around you. Don’t be afraid to talk about your faith! ​

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​SMARTPHONE LOCK SCREEN

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Today's prayer was prepared by Maggie Overbeck.