Sticking to the truth

Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
June 3, 2010
Today's Readings:
2 Tim 2:8-15
Ps 25:4-5ab,8-10,14
Mark 12:28-34
http://www.usccb.org/nab/060310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_06_03.mp3
Sticking to the truth
What is truth? It's the question that Pilate asked Jesus, and it's the question that you and I get asked (implied or overtly) whenever we speak the truth and someone doesn't want to believe it.
In today's first reading, we learn that we are acceptable to God if we share with others the word of truth without deviation. Our true faith is revealed when we persevere in the truth, not only with our lips but with our lives, even when it's inconvenient or unpopular and causes us hardships.
If we cling to the truth no matter what, we remain in God. It's our protection against slipping away from Christ and failing to reach heaven.
Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. If we deny any truths, we deny him, and if we completely reject him, he denies knowing us, because he no longer recognizes us, because we look like Satan the Father of Lies and not like our Heavenly Father. We were made in the image of God, and in our baptisms we were purged of the disfiguring mark of Original Sin and were reborn into God's likeness. But anyone who deliberately turns away from the truth about Jesus loses that likeness.
Whenever we're unfaithful to the truth, living as if the ways of Christ are not good and are not conveyed through the teachings of the Church, behaving as if God isn't real or doesn't care, we're turning away from the truth and from Jesus who is the Truth. Venial sins are small turnings; we're looking away from Jesus without walking away. Mortal sins take us far from God's love and Christ's salvation, killing our eternal souls.
Yet no matter how far we turn, no matter how unfaithful to the truth we become, Jesus remains faithful to us. He waits and hopes and dreams of our return. He steps in front of us trying to get our attention. He becomes a stumbling stone so that we trip and fall and realize that we need help to get up and get going in the right direction.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus defines truth in simple terms: Love – love for God, caring about him first and above all other priorities and desires, and loving others as much as ourselves, caring about their needs as much as our own. Every truth is rooted in love.
When we fail to love, we violate the truth. We violate Jesus. And yet, there he remains faithfully standing beside us, waiting for us to recognize our sin and turn to him for healing and reconciliation.
A PRAYER:
Father God, I want to love everyone unconditionally, as Jesus loves them, the way Jesus has given me his love. Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Make the truth plainly obvious to me. Holy Spirit, give me better understanding of the truth and help me to humble myself in love for others. Help me to serve them the way Jesus wants to serve them through me, so that the truth of salvation spreads to others. Amen!
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.
WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections

Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...
Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!
Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.
______________________________________________________________
This is the "Good News Reflections - American Edition" mailing list.
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:
Change your address
Unsubscribe