“I
am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through
me.” John
14:6
In seeking a relationship of love with God through wisdom and faith, we begin to look for the truth of what all this means to us now and for the future. As we search, we are provided with numerous paths that take us in multiple directions; many away from God and His ways. Often, this will confuse us because what we are learning is that there are many truths that can provide us with positive outcomes with or without God. It is then that we need to focus on the path which directly connects us with God, avoiding any and all distractions which can lead us toward a life of purpose and meaning.
The Catechism of the Catholic
Church tells us in Paragraph 2505 that: Truth or truthfulness is the
virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words,
and guarding against duplicity, dissimulation and hypocrisy. In Paragraph 2465 we are told that The
Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His “faithfulness endures to all generations.
* Since God is “true,” the members of
His of His people are called to live in the truth. ** With this in mind, Paragraph
129 says the New Testament has to be read in the light of the Old
Testament. The New Testament lies hidden
in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.
Though reading about Truth in
Scripture and theology books indicates and illustrates for us the meaning, we
still seem to have a need to experience it for ourselves. I owe the reason for this due primarily to
the multiple social media sights that cast doubts on so many aspects of life
that it becomes more difficult to decide what is the Truth. These sights create doubt and the sure number
of them seem to overwhelm the basic premise of the Bible and theological
beliefs based on Scripture.
For those who are looking for
a relationship with God, it certainly creates second thoughts about God’s place
in their lives. Instead of focusing on
the positive aspects of God’s part in their lives such as creation, love,
mercy, forgiveness and kept promises, they see how undeserving nonbelievers
seem to prosper during difficult times and those who God talks about helping
suffer more. The truth becomes skewed
and God is just another aspect of life without any active relationship.
Believers also question the
meaning of Scripture and theological aspects, but their relationship with God
seems to stay in focus because they see how God works in their lives and others
both in good and bad times. They also
hold on to God’s promise of everlasting life for those who are faithful to His
ways. Their wonderings are not so much
about doubting God, but why did this or that happen and what does it mean for
those who believe.
Being a Christian calls us to
accept the ways of the Lord. It doesn’t
make much sense to reject God who promises us the gift of everlasting life if
we are obedient to His will. Jesus,
alone, proved that during His time on earth to those who witnessed and followed
Him. You need only read stories in the
Bible of what He did, the people’s responses and how lives were changed for the
better.
His Apostles constantly
questioned and doubted things Jesus said and did, but in the end, all but Judas
Iscariot, His betrayer, believed His Truth and followed Him the rest of their
lives. Many saints were sinners prior to
accepting the Truth God taught them.
They realized that God’s message of Love to all His creation is the
Truth and needed to be heeded and followed.
In my early days I questioned God
about difficulties in my life. Why was
life so hard, so uncertain and so unfair?
Based upon the Ten Commandments, it didn’t seem like I was out of sync
with God. And, yet, my attitude about what I thought I
deserved versus what was happening were not linked. I was blaming God for my shortcomings rather
than correcting what I was doing by not following God’s ways.
As time passed, I began to
realize how God was working in my life and I accepted God’s Truth as a mainstay
for living my life. What I find now are
answers to those many questions I asked so long ago and for the few I ask these
days. I am committed to God’s Truth as a
way of honoring what Jesus did for me and all believers by dying on the Cross
for our sins and rising from the dead so I can one day receive eternal life as
the good and faithful steward He has called me to be.
“If you live according
to My teaching, you are truly my disciples, then you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free. John
8:31-32
*Ps. 119:90
**Rom. 3:4
Additional Scriptures:
Prov. 12:17
Ps. 51:6; 145:18
Jn. 1:17; 16:17
Eph. 4:25
1 Pt. 1:22
1 Jn. 1:6, 8
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