Witnessing
14 June 2001 22:31
This is the first of 2 mailings giving Vassula’s comments and responses to the audio tapes sent to her by the selected volunteer witnesses.
Vassula writes:
I would like that everyone reads the other ones comments I’ve put. This will give them a full opportunity for instructions, instructions that I might have forgotten or not quite emphasized when I put my comments for them. So this is very important that all the people read the others as well. It is also a good lesson for future wintesses.
I want to remark the following. We have from France 10 people listed as organizers and we have one French witness so far! In French speaking Switzerland we have 3 organizers. So all in all we have 13 French speaking organizers and we have a meagre response for French witnesses….. Same with Germany. We have 2 witnesses and 7 people who want to be organizers. The TLIG messages it seems have to be taken up again by some and re-read to be able to have the courage to become a witness and to be apt to respond correctly in the next attempt we will have in autumn, or beginning of winter.
The witnessing must start by saying or explaining why God is calling in our times. You must not forget to say that this Call is an urgent call to conversion, a call to reconciliation, a call to change our hearts and live holy. A call to live our lives as an unceasing prayer.
To those who did not start by a prayer, I ask you to start with a prayer. Give a good pause after the prayer!!! To those who did not say how they discovered the TLIG messages, they should mention it and also who the instrument is who receives the messages – you will have many people who do not know the background. Then it is important for everyone to say how this message has reached the four corners of the earth. That I have been invited to more than 700 meetings. That the books are in over 35 languages, that great and renown theologians studied the messages and printed theological books out of the messages. You can have their books available as well. In quite a few tapes, I heard a click and a re-start of your tape. REMEMBER, YOU WILL HAVE NO CHANCE OF THIS WHILE IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE! Only a pause of maximum 5 seconds is a normal pause and that is given on purpose to the listeners to “digest and breathe” what you’ve come to give them! You should also mention the phases of TLIG. The best example that is said comes from Fr. Gerhard Wenzel (Germans are renown to be organizers and organized) – he is an example.. I would like all of you to listen to his tape which is in English. I hope Fr. Gerhard would not mind to do this for the people who want to listen to you. As you (Fr. Gerhard) will probably have a lot of demand for your tape, I think you can sell it to the people to cover your expenses of the tape and the post, so that you do not get ruined!!.
The following are Vassula’s responses to individual tapes:
Very good! very natural with a lot of enthusiasm and vivacity, this reaches the people. Good. Your speech could improve though if you give the listeners 5 seconds in between the subjects to “digest” what you said to them, do not rush, you have no train to catch! Make a lot more pauses in between subjects. Don’t forget that many of the listeners can be very immature spiritually! It would be good to express also what you’ve quoted with your own words as well, thus you reach the people. Use some wit to change the tune as we say, or change gears, so that it does not risk to become monotoneous. One thing though I will object to, that is: never ever say “it is the Holy Spirit speaking though me now!” Even if He did, you must not say it. These sort of remarks put a lot of people off. You glorify yourself and this is not up to you to do it!!! In these 16 years of witnessing I’ve been doing for the Lord, I never ever dared come up with such a remark although all that I received has indeed been given through the Holy Spirit. I’ve heard so many people around me saying: “The Holy Spirit told me to do this or that,” or “God told me to etc”, to top it, 99.9% are wrong. It was their own exulted mind that brought them to say such a thing or their wishful thinking. So be careful. Otherwise it is a good conference.
Very good vré! When you want to say what the Father said or Jesus or whoever you will be quoting, say: “This is what Jesus said to us,” or “listen what Jesus says for this..” Do not jump in the message without saying that it is God who speaks, because it sounds as though you are saying it and it sounds as though it is not a witness but a lesson of catechism. Remember, we are not teachers, but witnesses. It is what we heard or read that we are transmitting to others. It is not from our own knowledge or studies that what you say comes, but from the TLIG messages. Give a touch of wit as well in your speech! About our Lady, say that She too gives messages but the first time our Lady was introduced was when Jesus brought Her along with Him and asked: “who is with Me?” etc. When you speak of the 2nd Pentecost say: “In the messages our Lord often speaks of a 2nd Pentecost or of a new Pentecost, what does our Lord mean by that? Well, our Lord said that it is an outpour of the Holy Spirit to renew His creation. It is happening already” etc etc. You have confused the word “chares and charés in Greek. The first chares, means graces but the second I heard on the tape emphasising the “e” means joys, therefore it is not “joys” but graces which you must say. Otherwise, speed is OK, breath in between please.. on the whole it is very good.. Kourayio..
On the whole good. But I want you to sound more like a witness who discovered The Treasure when you speak of TLIG rather than someone who gives a Sunday regular and rather “limp” if I dare say, homily. When you are a witness, you are on fire, so go witnessing with a fire within you. Vivace and not bass. Give more emphasis, for “the Kingdom of God is not just words, it is power.” (Rm 4, 20). Give a holy anecdote or a touch of wit now and then, it is necessary to change gears!!! It keeps the attention of the people. When you speak of the good this prophetic revelation did to you, remember to say what you once said: “that these writings made you understand better the Scriptures.” It is more than 700 meetings I’ve made and not 600. When you speak of the unceasing prayer, explain in a clearer way that it is “to thirst for God, to long for God and to desire God all day long, it is a prayer without words, it is as we say, the silent prayer, a contemplative prayer that words are not uttered. It is being heart to heart with God, and giving love for Love.” Really, do try not to sound as a homily. Plunge more in the messages and be much more as a witness. You have to try to change the tone of your voice.
Towards the end you bring up the subject of unity. I’m afraid unity is not very emphasised and it is not clear in your witnessing. You give the impression you want to bleep over this subject because you are afraid to approach it. Not only it is not clear but it is confusing, it is not given as a whole subject but you give the impression you want to switch quickly to something else and so you mix it with the following subject which is on our Lady, without saying clearly that you are going now to speak of our Lady. Sorry, but Unity, is the most important of the themes in TLIG. So it is very important to give time for the Unity subject. The last thing I would like you to correct is to give a 5 seconds pause when you switch subjects and even introduce the new subject by saying: “and now I will speak of what the messages say on the renewal etc etc.” or and now I will give you a few lines of what God says on our will and His Will” etc etc. then you can ask the audience, “tell me, what is the Will of God?” don’t wait for an answer and continue to explain it. Your subjects are too prolongued as they switch from being a witnessing into a homily. This should be reduced. So let “your zeal be a spur to many more,” (2 Co. 9, 2)
Good. It is detailed and correct, but you need though to speed up a bit. Again I’ll say, “the Kingdom of God is not just words, it is power.” (Rm 4, 20). In between your pauses people will have time to go have a meal or shave and be back still in time! Too long periods of silence and if I’m not mistaken, shuffling of papers? I like very much and enjoyed your stories in between though, very good. It is very important to focus more on the 27 question/answer theme I’ve given, for it covers the essential. You need to narrate much more to reach the people. Reading out of a text is not a good idea. So once you speed up your witnessing you will be alright.
You can improve still. In the beginning when you give a prayer, pray slowly meaning each word and after your Amen, just give a pause of 5 seconds! This is the way Jesus taught us; He taught us to pray slowly and to mean each word, so please be an example and even speak about it. You have been reading the whole conference and although what was written and read was good, it was real fast too, too fast! You must narrate what you have in your hands. Even if you must read, you will have to train to read in such a way that it might sound as thoough you are speaking. But you will never reach the people…. Give a look before to what you are going to speak on then say it with your own words so that you reach the people and touch them. You are a witness and not someone up there who gives a speech! Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you by giving Him a chance. Always keep in mind that the people in front of you are not all of them progressed and profoundly spiritual. You will be talking to people who some of them still have a long way to go to reach a deep spirituality. Some of them know next to nothing, so if you go reading especially, fast, they will leave without having grasped anything. But don’t get discouraged. You still can do it with the corrections I am putting here. Take your time when you speak. Remember how important it is to explain to the people when you quote part of a message with your own words after! Otherwise who will understand, “equality of love”, or the word “deification”. But always explain it as a witness and not as a teacher. You will say: Jesus tells us etc. or in the messages Jesus makes us understand etc. Even if it is said in a less perfect way and even if you missed parts of it, it is always better to witness rather than read like a speaker giving a speech.
Your voice is clear but you need to improve in some things. Although all you’ve said was correct we notice that you are reading. Therefore, to read means that you give a speech. A witness should be spontaneous, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your memory and guide you as well. You must speak from your heart because only then, you will be able to reach the people. You need not be perfect in remembering everything, but, it reaches the people. If you are able to read without showing that you are reading because you pause, you go slow, and give emphasis on what you read, then do it. But, this was missing. No one will be able as a new listener to “digest” the richness of the message if given in that speed without a break in between themes of 5 seconds either. Explain also in your own words the passage you quote out of the TLIG messages by giving some examples of how you understood it and be more relaxed. For example, you can, after quoting a passage, say; “let me put it in this way…” then explain to the people what the Lord means, I would like you to sound more like a witness please. OK?
It is good but may I put my comments. I would like you to be speaking more as a witness giving more the story of TLIG messages and focusing more on the 27 questions/answers, if you go as a witness, rather than giving the impression you are a teacher who gives a lesson of catechism to people who still have a way to go. You must not forget to say more often: Jesus told us in the messages, or, this is what we learnt from the TLIG messages, or, God says in the messages, this and that. You must not forget always to mention the power of these messages and how they started and how they are known in at least in 59 countries. And how God predicted all of this by saying, “the message that is now like a small rivulet, it will widen up and become like a river, and from a river it will start gushing into an ocean, an ocean of love and peace.” I would like to hear you witness in such a way that you will show the people the glory and the power of the message. By this I mean, that this message comforts the miserable, because God comforts the miserable, and speak more of the message, like saying, that God gives us this message from His infinte mercy.
Then, that in this message God teaches us how to repent etc etc. always say, “God teaches us in this messages”, e.g. how to pray, what His Will is etc. You must show that it is all God’s Work what you are saying to the people, because, honestly, you sound many times as though you learned all these things from regular books of theology and you are now out there, as a teacher to teach the people.. Saint Paul says this, and this is for all of us, including me of course since I am a witness as well: “We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure (of TLIG), to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us…” (2 Co 4: 7). Then further down, “But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke -(Ps 116:10) we too believe and therefore we too speak….”(2Co 4: 13). Another thing. I would prefer that the people wait to the end of the meeting to ask you questions and not interrupt you because this becomes like the signature of a teacher to puplis while in class and it is not that, it is a witnessing from a witness.
On the whole it is alright. But here are some comments. You must try to explain some things in the beginning. e.g. the story of my purification and the intensity of it. In your witnessing more animation is needed, lack vivacity and lacks fire. You must keep the people awake by animation, e.g. Say: “one day, Jesus came to Vassula and said: “I want you to pray without ceasing.” etc etc. Bring up those little stories that are lessons as well. Also the story of the “we, us”. and there are many. I would like to hear you say more, “Jesus tells us in the TLIG messages that etc etc.” or, “in the messages, God says to us”etc. etc. NEVER give the people the impression that these things you are telling them came from your own mediations and so you knew those things in that way. No, this is not glorifying the message and not promoting the message. So a lot more of: “Jesus says in the messages, or God says in this message, or we learn through the message that God wants us to…” etc. You are a witness to speak of what you have