Conversation Conversations

Week 29 — Evangelization

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations." —Matthew 28:19

Jump to day: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Sunday

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be My witnesses." —Acts 1:8

Conversation:

Jesus: The last thing I ever said to you on earth before My ascension was the command to be My witnesses. Go. Do you hear Me? Go.
Disciple: Jesus, I'm afraid. The last people who went when You said "Go," got killed.

Response:

Jesus: Go.

Go to work for Jesus at work.

Monday

"Whoever acknowledges Me before men I will acknowledge before My Father in heaven. Whoever disowns Me before men I will disown before My Father in heaven." —Mt 10:32-33

Conversation:

Jesus: You don't like Me repeatedly commanding you. Just obey Me and I won't repeat Myself. I must insist that you go. Otherwise people will not know Me. How you witness for Me on earth is how I'll witness for you in heaven. Go.
Disciple: Jesus, I'm feeling a lot of pressure. You're putting me on a guilt-trip. I'm not comfortable with this.
Jesus: You are guilty. I'm glad you're pressured and uncomfortable. Repent.

Response:

Go to Confession, then to the nations.

Tuesday

"I am not ashamed of the gospel." —Rm 1:16

Conversation:

Jesus: Is My death and resurrection good news or not? If you believe it, tell it. If you don't tell it, do you really believe it? You should be ashamed of yourself rather than ashamed of the gospel. Did you ever have a "friend" pretend in public that he didn't know you? Now you know how I feel.
Disciple: Jesus, for these 29 weeks of prayer You have comforted and encouraged me. Now all of a sudden You're stern.
Jesus: I'm stern with the arrogant but to the humble I show kindness (1 Pt 5:5; Prv 3:34).

Response:

Go share Jesus with the first person you meet.

Wednesday

"One who lights a lamp does not put it in the cellar or under a bushel basket, but rather on a lampstand, so that they who come in may see the light." —Lk 11:33

Conversation:

Jesus: Do you remember how you lit up when we first met? Do you remember how you told everybody you loved Me?
Disciple: Jesus, I begin to see evangelization is not primarily a program, technique, or even a command. Evangelization is the normal effect of falling in love with You.

Response:

Go first to Jesus, the Bridegroom (Mk 2:20).

Thursday

"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who lives in Me and I in him, will produce abundantly, for apart from Me you can do nothing." —Jn 15:5

Conversation:

Jesus: Does a bride-to-be take a seminar about telling others of her future husband? Don't get Me wrong. I'm not against seminars. I go to a few of them Myself. But no matter how uneducated you may feel, you can't help but lead others to Me if you cling to Me, the Vine.
Disciple: Jesus, You're taking away all my excuses. I'll pray about evangelization.
Jesus: There's nothing to pray about. Go.

Response:

Go now before it's too late.

Friday

"I have made myself all things to all men in order to save at least some of them. In fact, I do all that I do for the sake of the gospel." —1 Cor 9:22-23

Conversation:

Jesus: You remind Me of Simon Peter. You can be a great evangelist, but now you're denying Me three times a day.
Disciple: Jesus, can't we talk about something else? Let's talk about prayer or healing. I'll even talk about sin if You promise not to bring up repentance.
Jesus: No.

Response:

I command you to go.

Saturday

"All that matters is that in any and every way, whether from specious motives or genuine ones, Christ is being proclaimed!" —Phil 1:18

Conversation:

Jesus: You need the Holy Spirit. He'll get you out of that locked upper room. He changed Saul into Paul and Simon into Peter. He'll get you out of your churches turned prisons, which lock you in rather than send you out. You need Pentecost morning to have Pentecost afternoon.
Disciple: Jesus, launch me as Your witness at the next Mass.

Response:

Go to and from Mass.

Excerpts from Scripture are taken from The New American Bible, copyright 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

Nihil obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, July 13, 1995.

Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, July 25, 1995.

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