Inspiring Ignatian Quotes #23
Truth? What is true any more???
Perhaps you answered from St. John’s Gospel 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Or, St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 13:6 describing what is love: “. . . it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.” But, I think for today’s world, St. Paul’s 2nd Letter to Timothy issues a very relevant message to his young disciple and to us, (3:8-9): “As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone.” (A note to gently remind you, when you point to someone else, you have three fingers pointing back at you . . . just saying . . . :-) )
Another chapter later, he instructs Timothy further (4:3-5) “For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” That is what I ‘live’ for . . . that when I meet God face-to-face, when this journey is done, I will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (from Matthew’s Gospel 25:21, 23)
The folly of those not seeking the truth, will become plain to everyone . . . to me this tells me that there will be a time when God reveals the Truth and we find out who was seeking the real truth or not. A game show setting comes to mind . . . not irreverently . . . but the mystery is there with both accounts. Will you choose what is behind Curtain #1 or #2? It may seem daunting to determine the truth behind today’s ‘news’ reports, with opposing sides claiming the other is ‘fake’, who are we to believe? What would Jesus do? At some level we can see a speck of truth in both sides, but each have spun it so craftily that it’s hard to cull that speck out of the whole story that has been woven around it! . . . and often times, the truth has been twisted completely around to become a falsehood.
The so-called truth may be impossible to discern in today’s news spin cycles, so, I don’t think there is anything wrong with not immediately taking a side. Set aside your political party, your religious affiliation, your work/school associates/peers, your parents, your children, grandchildren, your ethnic background, for a moment and see if you can seek truth through prayer or meditation, or, through research. Who do you trust? If you come to no certain ‘side’, then be prepared for conversation and discussion and listen carefully. We can come to some sort of agreement or, we can agree to disagree. We can also pray for those with whom we do disagree.
Ignatius suggests that time will sift matters out in its own way. Let those vigorously ‘for’ and ‘against’, who feel compelled to share their opinions, voice them, and the folly will eventually be made known. This is different than being lukewarm, because the daily truths in news are of this world and to be debated not necessarily taken as ‘truth’. There is always a human agenda! There is one truth, however which one would definitely be folly to ignore, and I believe, my faith in the One Truth, will be made known at judgement time: Jesus, is the righteous judge, the One who overcame evil, will exchange my crown of service for a crown of righteousness and eternal life with Him. It will not matter what worldly truths/untruths unfolded over my lifetime, how I treated others will matter.