The WORD in Other Words by Fr Edgardo Bugtong SVD (Taiwan)
Wednesday 5th Week of Lent
Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95 John 8,31-42
What is truth? How do we know the truth? These are questions we need to ask when fake news, fake truth (an ironic term), half-truths are all over the internet. Truth is becoming difficult to recognize when fake news hide the truth with the intention to deceive or brainwash.
So, how can we know the truth?
First, find reliable sources — those that have established good reputation and have stood the test of time. Jesus is the Truth and we need to go back to His message very often to benchmark our “truth.” A retreat master once suggested that in discerning the truth, one may ask the question, “How will Jesus act on the issue/matter if he is with us at this very moment?” Jesus‘ way of proceeding is one good basis for gauging the truth.
Second, examine the consistency of the apparent goal and dig deeper. If there is a hidden agendum, most likely the truth 1s far from here. Jesus has always been consistent in His message and very clearly, he has but one goal. When faced by Scribes and Pharisees and danger or death was apparent, he could have simply altered His truth to save himself. But he did not. Convenient or inconvenient, risky or not, he stood his ground. Real truth is unalterable.
All of us are presented with many “truths” and at times we find it difficult to distinguish which one is real and which one is not. The best measure we can have though is to ask ourselves: If Jesus is with us, what will he say? Let us listen to him.
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