Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
The saga continues in Acts. The chief priests and Temple authorities continue to pressure the Apostles. They hoped to intimidate them into silence. St. Peter wouldn’t be denied. He declared that they must “obey God” rather than any human authority. This angered those in the Temple. The Apostles persevered in telling the truth nonetheless.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that the one who comes from Heaven is above Earthly authority. (He’s referring to Himself) Whoever accepts His testimony has certified “that God is trustworthy.” The irony lies in this. People don’t always respond to the truth in a positive or productive way.
It wasn’t just the Jewish authorities who rejected the truth of Jesus. The Romans didn’t accept Christianity for centuries until Emperor Constantine legalized it some three hundred years after Christ. Human nature is such that it responds to truth slowly. That is why defending the truth is always important. Pontius Pilate had asked Jesus what truth is.
This same question is posed to us throughout our lives. What is truth? How do we respond? Do we have the truth even if we don’t know it fully? These questions take a lifetime to answer. That’s the beauty of the Christian life and its search for truth. The journey to seeking the truth leads deeper and deeper. It doesn’t hinder us. It helps us to grow as people. Ultimately, we are not just searching for truth as a thing. We are searching for the Truth as a person, Jesus Christ.
Reflection Question: How do you respond to the truth? Ask yourself how open you are to receiving it. Pray that Jesus Christ will open your heart to the truth, for He is the truth.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections