In our lives, we can each find the grace we need to survive because we are not left without an advocate during our time here on earth. Jesus, as He told His apostles, has left us with the gift of the Holy Spirit, the advocate that was promised when our Lord ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit is also sometimes referred to as the Spirit of Truth because through the Holy Spirit we encounter and learn the truth, even when it is not always so easy to otherwise discern it in this life. The world truly does not want the truth, it is uncomfortable and inconvenient to so many of the earthly mindsets and agendas that are so prevalent today. Just before our Lord’s crucifixion, Pilate asked Him “What is truth?”, and in doing so painted for each of us a rather vivid illustration of the problems we still have so much in evidence today. There is overall both a lack of want when it comes to truth and a lack of even knowing where to obtain it if it were desired. The secular world often both despises, and fears the truth because their lifestyles, choices, agendas, and policies cannot bear the illumination that the truth provides. Their choices cannot withstand the scrutiny of actual truth without being shown for the falsehoods that they often are. When the light of truth calls into question the choices that are so often made in the name of tolerance, modern thinking, self-empowerment, the right to choose, etc. there is an immediate outcry and rebellion. The trouble is, that outcry and rebellion is not against those things that are shown to be falsehoods, but instead against the truth itself. Those who wish to continue with their own choices rather than having the humility, and grace, to learn from what the light of truth reveals to them are becoming more and more prevalent. That’s a bit scary, but not un-anticipated, as our Lord told us that these things would all come to pass.
The challenge is that each of us as believers in Christ’s message is called to conduct ourselves radically differently. We are not only called to believe in Christ’s teachings but to proclaim them boldly to those who all too often do not want to hear them. As we heard in our second reading, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is God’s will than for doing evil. We are to conduct ourselves in such a way as to keep our consciences clear, and to provide a model for others. We must conduct ourselves beyond reproach, so that those who try to defame us, are themselves put to shame. We are called to suffer, just as Christ suffered, and to bear this gladly as a way to bond ourselves even closer to Him through this suffering. To proclaim His teachings to those who need to hear them most, and to withstand their reactions, and to persevere so that they may also come to an understanding of Jesus’ message. It is only through this kind of patient example and suffering that we can truly strive toward demonstrating love for Jesus Christ. We must each day, die to self, and instead, live for Christ. In doing this, we fulfill the two greatest of God’s commandments – to love Him, and to love one another.
The Deacons Bench 