August 2018-How Do We Take The Truth To Heart?

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

By this verse we can conclude that if we do not know the truth, we shall be enslaved by error. Truth frees, error and lies enslave.

 Certain truths are more important than others. Very few need to know rocket science, but all of us need to know the truths of our Holy Faith. Three and a half decades ago We read a book, The Cult of Information, which demonstrated that we have been overwhelmed with facts. And this is before the internet explosion. There is much information, but little is really necessary and worth while.

What we need is the truth presented to us in a reasonable manner, so we can take and read, then take the truth to heart and live by it. Immediately we will see there is a lot of information we have absolutely no time or use for, and other information we need to spend very little time on.

Three and a half decades ago We were sorting out some serious questions about just where the Church is and more importantly, where it is not. We ran across a subject and realized we needed to understand it. We needed to immerse our self in this subject. We needed to not only read, but consider. We need to eat, drink, and even sleep on the subject. And so, taking what resources we had, we did just this until we had taken the subject to heart.

 Recently, in preparing a project recommended by Our staff, we ran across Saint Cyprian's piece on the Unity of the Church. We read this, making notes and marking it up. We realized that one thing people do not understand today is the unity of the Church. WE found this piece to be very useful in presenting this subject.

 There are several things that are misunderstood today, due to a lack of knowledge.

 “My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.” (Osee 4:6)

The good news is that ignorance is a curable disease. Especially today, much useful information is available, if only we would go and look for it. We begin with those things that we are certain of-the teachings of the Church. And a good place to find these is in our basic catechisms, such as the Catechism of the Council of Trent. On some subjects we need more than the catechism contains, because the truths of the Faith have been obscured and ignored by many on these subjects.

 Jesus warned of these times: “For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24). Because it is possible to be deceived, we need to concentrate our reading and thinking on what is most important, the truths of the Faith, so that we can apply them to our lives.

 We need to avoid the many useless things. “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they grow much towards ungodliness.” (II Timothy 2:16) How much time is wasted today, especially on the internet in vain babblings? A quick look at Face-book will show a great deal of time is wasted there.

 What we need to do at all times is to have a spirit of prayer. Daily we need to read from the Sacred Scripture. We need to have a set hour in which we retire to prayer, which is communication with Almighty God. During our time of prayer we need to make a meditation and a resolution from that meditation to carry into the rest of our life. Let us remember that Christianity is not a mere religion, but a way of life.

 Let us ask the Holy Ghost for guidance and then set our priorities, putting God first and foremost in our lives.

Link for Catechism of the Council of Trent

Link for  Saint Cyprian on the Unity of the Church