Today Jesus says to us, “The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say." Of all the gifts that the Holy Spirit can provide for us, sometimes the right words at the right time can seem to be of greatest importance. Words have consequences that can last a lifetime. Words can cause conflict or facilitate peace. They can wound and they can heal. It’s no exaggeration to say that they can bring life, or they can cause death.
It is in our nature to prepare speeches, talking points, words that help our cause at any given moment. This is not a bad thing. But Jesus’ words today remind us that we must always leave room for the Holy Spirit. Things may not go as we had planned, but whatever comes our way, let us be open to divine inspiration that we may speak words that heal, bring peace, bring life, and set free.