Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Consecrated in Truth

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with examples of the God of Truth and our ancestors trying to lie out of difficult situations, from Adam and Eve falling victim to the serpent’s lies (Genesis 3) to the first killing of a brother (Genesis 4:1-13). Personal and community covenants were founded and validated upon the promise of Truth and Fidelity to the Truth. Throughout our Salvation History, time and time again, God and then His Son, Jesus, warned us about false gods, false witnesses, false prophets, false leaders, false testimonies, false apostles who call themselves Christian, to name a few. Exodus 20 lists two of the ten commandments that forbids false gods and false witness. A reading in Acts warns against “savage wolves will come among you and not spare the flock.” (Acts 20:29). Jesus, in John’s Gospel, prays that we be consecrated in the Truth and in God’s Word. (John 17:17).

We’re called to live a life of integrity, authenticity, honesty, and truth. Even as children, we were tempted to be dishonest, to lie to prevent punishment or to blame others or to deceive another willfully. Many of us will get accustomed to lie in order to save face, to justify what we believe is a greater good or just because it’s become a way of life. The alcoholic says that he or she is sober when it’s clearly not the case, the cheater will lie when caught red-handed and many a convicted person will swear innocence even when DNA says otherwise.

This is why God and Jesus, and then the Church has insisted that the Truth will always set us free (John 8:32). This is why Jesus consecrates us in Truth. To live a life of integrity and honesty is not easy and will make great demands on us over time and circumstances. We followers of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, will always be called to live truthfully and honestly, even when it costs us fame and fortune. Our life can only be built upon The Truth. We need not worry though, because God will always be there for us; it’s never all up to us!

Let’s embrace Jesus’ prayer for us today: “Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” (John 17: 17 – 19)

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"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:
the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy".