Let us be United in Truth and Love
One of the great tragedies of our time is the denial of sin. Like Pilate we ask, “what is Truth?” and then we turn our backs on it. As a result, there is so great a confusion that most people have completely lost a sense of identity. We have long believed that there is only one Immaculate Conception. Today many people think they were also immaculately conceived. And since the Truth, that is, Christ Jesus sheds its light in the darkness of our lives, and exposes our hidden intentions, many today are complaining, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” too demanding, too restrictive. So, many today are leaving the Church, seeking comfort in less demanding religions, only to run into more confusion and spiritually damaging company. If the only way we can identify something is by its characteristics, such as, the state by its boundaries, the football pitch by its markings and goal posts, when there are no boundaries, no law, no morality, how can we not get confused about our identity. How can we play rugby on a tennis court? Therefore, asking the question “What is a woman?” is as equally important as asking the question, “What is a man?” And how do we answer these questions? Well, we must ask the One who made a man and a woman. God is the one who properly defines man and woman. Without God we lose sight of who we are.
In the book of Genesis, the devil comes up to the woman and convinces her to believe something contrary to her identity. When the first woman believed the lies of the devil she become completely confused and she lost knowledge of herself as it comes from God. But when the new woman, Mary, believed the Angel of God, she redefines the true identity of a woman. And Christ Jesus, her son, redefines the true identity of a man. From St. Luke’s narrative we hear, “And having come to her,” the Angel Gabriel said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” But because of her great humility, Mary was troubled by this greeting. A humble soul is always troubled by praises. The Angel continues to convince Mary about a special grace she has found with God. She professes that from her youth she has known not a man but God alone. And because her will was so in harmony with God’s will, she accepted and granted permission for God to bestow upon her the glorious and singular privilege of Mother of God. And because of this, Mary is the woman, the model for every woman. The first woman obeys the devil and propagates corruption, the new woman obeys the Angel and gives life, as a result. A woman is an agent of life as it comes from God. And as St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross beautifully put it, “one cannot desire freedom from the Cross when one is especially chosen for the Cross.” And I dare say that a mother cannot desire freedom from motherhood especially when she is naturally chosen to be mother. Likewise, a father cannot desire freedom from fatherhood, especially when he is naturally chosen to be father.
There are many movements in society today that are casting doubts upon people’s identity as defined by God, protesting that “God’s way is not fair,” creating a false freedom that only leads to enslavement and destruction. In seeking false freedom, to do whatever we please, we betray the truth. And just like the Jewish maid said to Peter in the courtyard of the high priest, “You too were with Him,” our consciences always shout at us saying, “you have been with Him.” So, why the betrayal? And now God puts a question, “Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?”
Judas was overcome by the guilt of his betrayal that he took his own life. When truth is betrayed, when we throw away the moral norms, pull out contraceptives, kill our own babies, change our biological genders, when we shy away from truth, that is the most burdensome guilt of all. The guilt of betraying Truth. Christ our Lord testifies in the book of Proverbs 8:22, “The Lord begot me, the firstborn of His ways...so now, O children, listen to me; happy those who keep my ways…Happy the man who obeys me.” Remember that Peter repented of his denial, and he received mercy as a result, but Judas never repented, and he died in his sin.
St. Paul offers a timely advice as well, “if there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing…Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus…He humbled Himself,” Phil. 2.
And I dare say,
let us be united in Truth and love, the truth that shines in our darkness, the truth that defines our identity, the truth that is, Jesus Christ, the son of God, who lives and reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.
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