{"id":163927,"date":"2025-04-06T01:00:38","date_gmt":"2025-04-06T05:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.regnumchristi.com\/en\/?p=163927"},"modified":"2025-03-20T22:35:55","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T02:35:55","slug":"lent-2025-day-33-speaking-the-words-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.regnumchristi.com\/en\/lent-2025-day-33-speaking-the-words-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Lent 2025 &#8211; Day 33 &#8211; Speaking the Words of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"163927\" class=\"elementor elementor-163927\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbf6437 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cbf6437\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f66a7aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"f66a7aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/3qULk7NJEXOdL4mbtNgAah?utm_source=generator\" style=\"border-radius:12px\"  width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameBorder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bee7262 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bee7262\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>Day 33\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Speaking the Words of Life<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless this [witness] always remains insufficient, because even the finest witness will prove ineffective in the long run if it is not explained, justified \u2014 what Peter called always having \u201cyour answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have\u201d (1 Peter 3:15) \u2014 and made explicit by a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord Jesus. The Good News proclaimed by the witness of life sooner or later has to be proclaimed by the word of life. There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u2014 St. Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you had discovered the cure for cancer, the truly loving thing to do would be to share that discovery with those who suffer from the disease. Even if the cure were bitter and painful, keeping it to yourself for fear of offending a cancer victim who may resent the bitterness of the pill would be a lack of love, a self-centered and vain pretension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Jesus Is the Cure<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This seems so obvious. And yet, when it comes to spiritual diseases and spiritual cures, the obvious sometimes gets obscured. Jesus Christ truly is the cure for life\u2019s moral and spiritual ills. As we have seen, his teaching, preserved and communicated in every generation by the Church, points the way to healthy and happy living: \u201cI am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life\u201d (John 8:12). To know him, accept him, and follow him opens the door to the interior freedom and fulfillment we all yearn for: \u201cIf you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free\u201d (John 8:31\u201332).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is not only one worthy figure among the world\u2019s great philosophers; he is not only one respectable founder among history\u2019s great founders of religion; he is not only one wise teacher among humanity\u2019s top gurus: He is the incarnate Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity become man; the sole Savior of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. . . . \u201d There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People searching for happiness, inner peace, and meaning are searching for Jesus, whether they realize it or not. He is the cure \u2014 the only cure \u2014 for their spiritual diseases, which can be immensely painful and debilitating even for people who seem to be doing pretty well by all external appearances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You Have the Cure<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only Jesus can forgive sins and heal the wounds caused by sin. Only Jesus can give the answers to the deepest questions of the human heart. Only his teaching provides sure guidance through the confused, maddening moral labyrinths of the post-modern world. And you know him. You believe in him. You are familiar with those teachings. You have the cure for your neighbor\u2019s spiritual ills \u2014 will you keep it to yourself?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We cannot force people to accept Jesus and his teachings, but we are called to tell people about him. If we don\u2019t, some of those people in our circles of influence may never even be given the chance to put their faith in the Lord:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For \u201ceveryone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.\u201d But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? (Romans 13:14)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telling people about Jesus, sharing the gospel with them, explaining the reasons behind the moral and theological tenets of Christianity \u2014 this is a fundamental dimension of every Christian\u2019s mission, a central way to \u201clove your neighbor as yourself\u201d and exercise the prophetic facet of our Christian vocation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Delivering the Message<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first dimension of mission (which we have been reflecting on in the previous reflections) has to do with our way of daily living, the witness of our own moral integrity, love for the Church, and pursuit of excellence. And that is, in many cases, a necessary precursor to effectively speaking the words of life; people will tend to listen to what we say with a more open mind if they have seen us behave admirably beforehand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But at times God also nudges us to speak about him regardless of the relationship we have with a person. Sometimes, in other words, he wants us to take the initiative and bring up the topic of religion. We need to be ready and willing to do that. More often, perhaps, we need to be ready to respond to questions that are asked of us directly or that come up indirectly in conversations. We need to know how to express and explain what we believe, and we need to cultivate the courage \u2014 based on true love for our neighbor \u2014 to do so when the need or opportunity arises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That requires doing our homework. We can never have all the answers to every question or objection, but we can gradually increase our knowledge and understanding of the faith so as to be better and better at explaining it. A good rule of thumb is to try to avoid having to say, \u201cI am not sure how to answer that\u201d more than once. When someone brings up a question you can\u2019t answer, make a commitment to investigate and study until you can answer it, so that the next time it comes up, you will able to shed God\u2019s light on it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Our Manner Affects Our Message<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, the manner in which we speak about Jesus and his teachings is almost as important as the content of what we say. If our manner lacks respect and humility, our words will simply go unheard. Timing matters. Tone matters. Attitude matters. It is not primarily about winning arguments and making converts in order to feed our vanity \u2014 it is about loving our neighbors as ourselves, sharing with them the good news we have received from others. We are simply heralds of Christ\u2019s message, ambassadors of his kingdom, and so our egos don\u2019t have to get involved. \u201cWhoever listens to you listens to me,\u201d Jesus pointed out. \u201cWhoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me\u201d (Luke 10:16).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">True love seeks ways to communicate the truth that truly saves; it doesn\u2019t cop out by throwing up its hands and saying, \u201cWhatever you want to do and believe is perfectly fine with me.\u201d That\u2019s not how Jesus fulfilled his redeeming mission of love, and it\u2019s not how we should live our mission, either.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What idea in this reflection struck you most and why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How well do you know your faith? Could you explain the gospel to someone who asked you to? What are you doing to continue deepening your knowledge and your ability to share that knowledge with others?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How well do you understand the reasons behind the Church\u2019s moral teachings, which are so maligned in today\u2019s world? Which ones are you most comfortable talking about? Which ones are you least comfortable talking about? Why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fear often inhibits us from speaking about what we believe and why. We are afraid of being labeled a fanatic; we are afraid of being rejected; we are afraid of being made fun of or persecuted in some way; we are afraid of being humiliated if we can\u2019t hold up our side of an argument. And yet Jesus himself experienced all of those things in response to his saving mission \u2014 he was rejected, humiliated, and persecuted even though his knowledge and love were perfect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What will you do today to overcome your fear of sharing the faith?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will publicly display some sign that I am a Christian (a necklace with a cross on it, a rosary bracelet, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will begin researching one of the questions about my faith I don\u2019t feel comfortable answering.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will find a good Catholic radio station or podcast to start listening to on a regular basis in order to better equip myself for my mission of speaking about the gospel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Write your own resolution) I will<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Concluding Prayer<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,\u2028welcomed the word of life\u2028in the depths of your humble faith:\u2028as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,\u2028help us to say our own \u201cyes\u201d\u2028to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,\u2028to proclaim the good news of Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection,\u2028that we may bring to all the gospel of life\u2028which triumphs over death.\u2028Give us a holy courage to seek new paths,\u2028that the gift of unfading beauty\u2028may reach every man and woman. . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Star of the new evangelization, help us to bear radiant witness to communion,\u2028service, ardent and generous faith,\u2028justice and love of the poor,\u2028that the joy of the Gospel\u2028may reach to the ends of the earth,\u2028illuminating even the fringes of our world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mother of the living gospel, wellspring of happiness for God\u2019s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 288<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Day 33\u00a0 Speaking the Words of Life Nevertheless this [witness] always remains insufficient, because even the finest witness will prove ineffective in the long run if it is not explained, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":163122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6893],"tags":[2965],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-163927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lent-2025","tag-lent"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"","pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.8 (Yoast SEO v28.8) - 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He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson\u2019s\u00a0The Passion of the Christ\u00a0while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller,\u00a0Inside the Passion, the only authorized, behind-the-scenes explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican\u2019s 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. His most widely known books are The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer and 60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple. His most recent book is\u00a0Spiritual But Not Religious: The Search for Meaning in a Material World. Fr. John resides in Atlanta and serves as Territorial Vicar for the Legionaries of Christ. See all books, Regnum Christi Essays, Retreat Guides, posts, and online classes from Fr. 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