WHAT WE WOULD GIVE TO KNOW TRUTH
Some fear the truth because they think it will inhibit their freedom. Jesus told us in Scripture that "the truth will set you free" (Jn 8:32).
There is no point in attempting to get high school students to read Shakespeare when a teacher recognizes that they need remedial English. We all know the principle that must be in place in education -- to meet people where they are. St. Paul followed this principle. When Paul preached to the Jews of his time, he presumed that they had an understanding of God from the revelation given to their fathers. But when he went to Athens in Greece, he started with the basics that there is but one God who made the heavens and the earth.
Jesus Himself worked slowly and patiently with the disciples. Even at the end of His life, He declared to them, "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now" (Jn 16:12). Jesus' statement implied that there was something beyond the "now," a time when the disciples would advance in their knowledge and understanding of the truth. That time was the day that we will soon celebrate again, the day of Pentecost, the moment of the coming of the Holy Spirit to guide the Church to all truth.
What we would give to know all truth! It seems we always want it all at once, but if we did I think we would be missing the opportunity to grow according to the pattern that God created. After all, we are human beings! Truth, however, is not something we create, nor is it our discovery. It is a gift of our heavenly Father who is the Possessor and the Giver of all truth. Jesus tells the disciples that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to reveal what is true. How can this be? Skeptics of truth don't want to believe in an absolute Truth. If truth is objective then it must be submitted to as authoritative. Some fear the truth because they think it will inhibit their freedom. Jesus told us in Scripture that "the truth will set you free" (Jn 8:32). The truth liberates us from doubts, illusions and fears. Since God is the Source of all truth, then the closer we draw to Him and listen to His Word, the more we grow in the knowledge of God and of His great love and wisdom for us. Jesus also told us of "the Spirit of truth who will announce to [us] the things to come" (cf Jn 16:13). He guides us always!
Jesus returned to the Father in order to send the Holy Spirit, our Guide, upon the Church. Jesus through His life and death had proclaimed the Good News. He had formed the nucleus of the Church. Having fulfilled His mission, He returned in glory to the Father so that from Them both could come forth the Holy Spirit to develop and guide the Church.
This Holy Spirit directs the life of the Church and of each one of us as individual members. The Holy Spirit accepts the Church wherever it is in any particular era and supplies for its needs for a better understanding of the Faith. He is the one who moved our bishops as they completed their marvelous work in the Second Vatican Council. The Spirit is also the one who will help us in our need for a better understanding of our religion today.
Today in the responsorial psalm, we praise our God. Praise is a prayer for acceptance, joy, love, obedience, and worship. We can thank God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, for indeed this is a precious gift for us all.