Truth and Love
One
Jesus comes to reveal the Father and call us back into relationship with Him. He engages us with Truth and love. These are made for each other. In today’s Gospel we read, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all” (Lk 4: 14-15). Jesus was filled with the Spirit of love which provided Him with the power to teach and heal. To obey Him is to receive the supply of grace that flows from Him and wells up to eternal life! The teachings of Jesus not only set us free but fill us with Divine Charity. “I come that you may have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). Jesus reveals that without truth, love is mere emotionalism. This is what led St. Edith Stein to exclaim, “Do not accept anything as love that lacks truth.” Without love, truth becomes rigidity. St. John teaches, “He who does not love does not know God” (1 Jn 4:8).
Two
To deal with the effects of sin, the doctrine of Jesus imparts graces that heal, perfect, and elevate our wounded and fallen nature which prevents us from relationship with the Father. His loving truth is something to be sought, studied, and followed, the way a terminally ill patient follows steps to a surprising and thorough healing! We are terminally ill with sin, and we need to discover and study Christ as the Truth and follow His steps and seek His healing. When Jesus returns to Galilee, the crowds begin to press upon Him just to hear and touch Him. They recognize that something or someone utterly amazing was in their presence. They sensed that relationship with the truth was relationship with Him; and relationship with Him was relationship with the Truth. Do we cling to His words and His Sacraments like they, or do we cling to the voice of the world and earth-bound solutions? It is urgent that I ask myself: to whom do I give my trust?
Three
One of the most frustrating realities in our modern age is the confusion and controversy regarding the truth. Think of it, there is no longer one single source of knowledge that is not plagued with uncertainty and dispute: news, science, education, social media, medicine, entertainment etc. all present conflicting and even contradictory claims about what is true. We are witnessing in our own time the death of credibility and understanding. In its place is unbridled passions and deceit. The love of many has grown cold. Rightly did St. Peter warn us, “First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Pet 3:3-4). St Paul adds this, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths” (2 Tim 4:3-4). Lord, you are the way to everlasting life, save us and our loved ones from deceitful teachers and confusing voices.
Four
Correct understanding of the truth and love requires proper context. Jesus’ audiences had a choice to make--would they believe their eyes and ears and recognize their Messiah, or would they follow the prevailing opinion of the political and social forces like the Romans and Pharisees who rejected Him and scoffed at His teaching. Learning about Jesus through prayer, study, and community is so important. We need a context of faith to understand reality, which is the expression of God’s loving will. Otherwise, we run the risk of accepting a secular narrative that places man in the center of the world and not God.
Five
Studying the truth leads to greater love for those who have belief. For those who don’t, love can lead to a desire to study the truth. I’ve experienced both in my life: sometimes I grew to love someone or something after I’ve gotten to know them; and other times because they loved me, I then wanted to know them better. Jesus came so we would know the deeper truths of God. He knows that some won’t come to listen if they don’t feel loved, while others will come to love once they know the truth. The good doctrine that Jesus brought to earth consists above all in this revelation of God as infinite charity, of God as our loving Father and relationship with Him as the source and summit or our life! Neither the news nor science recognizes this basic truth. So the world tolerates anything, but forgives nothing. When we serve God, we are set free! This week, set aside time to access and study the classes on the faith found on our website. (Note: you must be a member to access.)