Whoever Lives the Truth Comes to the Light

April 2, 2008

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

By Melanie Rigney

After the Apostles were jailed, “the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, ‘Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.’ When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.” (Acts 5-19-21)

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.” (Psalms 34:2)

“…Everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” (John 3:20-21)

Piety

Lord, shine Your light on the dirty little corners of my life, the areas of shame and darkness and deceit. Let me live the truth.

Study

Today's Readings

The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill

What does living the truth mean to you?

During Holy Week, Jesus tells Pilate in the Gospel according to John that he was brought into the world to testify to the truth. “What is truth?” Pilate asks. No answer is recorded.

But we know, don’t we? We all have our own ways of not living the truth... stealing time, talent, or treasure due someone else. The time may be stolen from our spouses, our children, or our employers. Who among us hasn’t taken an extra-long lunch hour at work or taken the long way home so as to delay facing the problems that lie beyond the door? Who among us hasn’t said, “No,” to service that could have been performed relatively painlessly?

Often, these actions aren’t so terribly wicked in and of themselves. The real problem comes when we try to hide them. We build lie upon lie rather than tell the truth... and self-loathing and shame set in. As a result, we move further and further from a Christ-centered life.

“Many people suggest by their behavior that God is of far less importance than their bath, morning paper, or early cup of tea,” Anglo-Catholic author Evelyn Underhill wrote more than seventy years ago in The Spiritual Life. “The life of co-operation with Him must begin with a full and practical acceptance of the truth that God alone matters; and that He, the Perfect, always desires perfection. Then it will inevitably press us to begin working for perfection; first in our own characters and actions, next in our homes, surrounds, and profession and country.”

Note the word Underhill uses, that God “desires” rather than “expects” or “demands” perfection. He knows we’re not perfect. But let us have the confidence to ask freely and openly for his help in letting our lives reflect that He “alone matters.”

Action

Identify one way in which your character or action does not reflect the truth. Ask God for help in making progress away from this problem and toward the light this week.