“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.”
REFLECTION
...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.
What does it mean to be a witness? I grew up up with Perry Mason, Law and Order, Matlock. Sgt Joe Friday was my favorite detective, especially when he had to wind down a very talkative witness with , "Just the facts, ma'am".
Nowadays, we witness live court trials and we see how one is not permitted to say anything by way of explanation, other than answer "yes" or "no". Lawyers talk over defendants, can be intimidating and in trying to win may allow untruths or vague answers to confuse.
When we witness to God and His love for us, we should allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and let Him direct our answers or better, answer on our behalf.
In today's Gospel, the Missionary discourse of Jesus with His apostles, we are to heed as well. Priests and lay people experience the same difficulties and trials as did St Paul and the rest of the apostles. Physical, emotional and spiritual sufferings rely on the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises that you should not worry about how to speak or say. With the Holy Spirit living in you, He will speak through you.
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