Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
In this world today it is so hard to know what is true. Whether you are reading a news article, watching TV, or checking out your social media sites, everything that we encounter has an element of bias, and the “facts” presented may be completely false. So where do we find truth? As a Christian disciple we look to Jesus as our source of truth. We are then called to live out that truth in love, so others may come to know that truth as well.
In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul describes how each person is called to be part of the Body of Christ. Each person is given grace according to the “measure of Christ’s gift.” As the head of the Body, Christ is the truth, and we are called to “grow into Him.” Every part is essential to build up the Body, and it is through love that the Body grows and becomes like Christ.
In the gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples the parable of the fig tree. In this story, the gardener seeks a reprieve for a tree that is without fruit. Through the effort of cultivating the soil and fertilizer, the gardener promises to provide what is necessary to nurture the growth of the plant, so it may bear fruit. Similarly, Jesus wants to provide all that is needed for people to be rooted in God and God’s truth. Jesus calls each person to repent and turn to Him as the source of nourishment needed to bear fruit in the Kingdom of God.
So as we go through our daily routine, how can we seek to live the truth in love? Living in this way must first begin with a desire to seek the truth. It will take effort, courage and wisdom to find truth in the midst of our world. When we encounter information and before we make judgments, we must take a step back and recognize our own bias. Then we need to turn to the “truth”- God- and ask for discernment, so we will not be “swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery.” As we process the information, we are called to use Christ’s foundation of love, mercy, justice and peace to help us find truth if it is present.
There are many people in our world today that are leading others astray with “their cunning interests of deceitful scheming.” Truth will lead us to Christ and will also create unity and growth for the Body. Pope Francis in his recent encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” reminds us as Catholic Christians that God calls us to a fellowship united in Christ.
“We should also recognize that destructive forms of fanaticism are at times found among religious believers, including Christians; they too “can be caught up in networks of verbal violence through the internet and the various forums of digital communication. Even in Catholic media, limits can be overstepped, defamation and slander can become commonplace, and all ethical standards and respect for the good name of others can be abandoned”. How can this contribute to the fraternity that our common Father asks of us?” (No. 46)
God calls us to unity in love and through love. Jesus through His life, death and resurrection shows us how to live a life of love. God recognizes that finding truth and settling differences will be challenging. Pope Francis’ insights give us the groundwork to consider when approaching people and opinions that are in sharp contrast to ours.
“Authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict, but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest and patient negotiation. Conflict between different groups “if it abstains from enmities and mutual hatred, gradually changes into an honest discussion of differences founded on a desire for justice.”(Fratelli Tutti No. 244)
As we continue on in a world filled with disagreement, condemnation, and hatred, I believe that God is calling us forth to repent and turn to a stance of reconciliation based on truth (God’s truth) and love. This will be challenging and the progress may be very slow. If we take time to listen to the other, respect the other as a fellow brother/ sister, look for common ground to begin the discussion, and use love as our foundation, then I believe that we “can grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ.” This is our calling and mission as His disciples.
"Loving Father, Jesus gives us the truth for our lives and how we are called to live. With the grace of your Spirit, help us to put this truth into action by the way we love others. May our willingness to seek You and Your truth lead to unity and peace. We pray this through Christ, our LORD. Amen."
Marylynn Herchline