THE
TRUTH AND THE HALF-TRUTHS.
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. YEAR B
August 27, 2006.
(First reading: Josue 24:1-2,15-17,18) (Second reading: Ephesians 5:21-32)
(Gospel: John 6:55, 60-69)
THE TRUTH AND
THE HALF-TRUTHS.
There is no greater lie than a half-truth.
The reason being that the half-truths give the appearance of being the
truth. A half-truth covers up falsehood. Our world fosters half-truths
in many of our institutions. For instance:
- It is stated that our society protects life and health, however it
is permissible to kill the unborn and to withhold health care for lack
of health insurance or for inability to pay.
- It is stated that we protect freedom, however we oppress the weak
and deprive them of their freedom.
- It is stated that we promote democracy, however we place discriminatory
restrictions concerning who can run as candidates.
- It is stated that we are a peace-loving people, however we engage
in and support wars of aggression.
In order to exist, half-truths need to have an
added ingredient which gives them the appearance of truth.
In other words, half-truths need an added socially accepted (or enforced)
belief strong enough to "justify" them. For instance:
- The killing of the unborn is "justified" by the right of
"free choice" or "personal decision" or "control
over one's body". The withholding of medical care is "justified"
by the "sacred right" of the health care provider to make
a profit.
- The oppression of the weak is "justified" by the "right"
to seek the "best interest" of the state or of a powerful
controlling group or race.
- The restrictions in democratic participation are "justified"
by the "need" to protect society from dangerous ideas or principles
or peoples.
- The support for wars of aggression is "justified" by a distorted
notion of "patriotism"(1).
Jesus Gives Us The Truth.
In this Sunday's gospel the Lord Jesus presents us with the Truth (not
half-truths) when he says: "My
flesh is real food and my blood real drink"
(John 6:55). This means that whenever we accept Jesus we accept him
totally, with not adulteration or false "justifications" or
half-truths. Jesus is total truth, freedom, unselfishness, service,
peace, compasion, justice, respect.
That is the truth that many of Jesus' disciples could not accept and,
after hearing him say, "My flesh is real
food and my blood real drink", they responded: "This
sort of talk is hard to endure. Can anyone take it seriously?".
Then, many followed him no more.
In biblical times, as in the present day, those who rejected the truth
of Jesus "returned
to their former way of life", that is, to their life
of half-truths.
How To Live The Truth Of Jesus.
In the second reading this Sunday (St. Paul) describes how we can live
the truth of Jesus: "Be respectful to
one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians
5:21), that is, be totally committed to one another just as Jesus is
committed to humankind, to the point of giving his life for all humankind.
Human beings should not destroy one another as no one destroys his own
body.
Saint Paul applies this truth to the commitment between husband and
wife, and explains that said commitment is inferred from the nature
of Jesus' relation to his church. Therefore, the same commitment should
characterize the relations between parent and child, ruler and subject,
employer and laborer, teacher and disciple, between countries, between
races.
As in the gospel, today is the time to say with Peter: Lord we want
to live in your truth, "you have the
words of eternal life". This Sunday the Lord Jesus
offers us the precious gift of his Truth
to free us from the world's half-truths.
_______________________________________________________
Footnote.
(1) Patriotism as the love for one's own country is
no different than the love of an individual for his own self. Both forms
of love are truly Christian only when they are geared toward the unconditional
service of humankind. Countries, the same as individual persons, will
follow the truth of Christ if they respect one another "out
of reverence for Christ".
