JESUS CARITAS
To be ‘true’ in good times and in bad
By Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun
This summer I shall have the joy of witnessing two weddings: one of a niece and her fiancé in June and the other of a nephew and his fiancée in August. Having 21 nieces and nephews brings many blessings to a bishop, few more enjoyable than those when a young couple vows to be true to one another in good times and in bad, until death. This solemn exchange of vows still has the power to move us to tears. It also moves us to gratitude and awe. The fact is faithfulness matters.
Walking in truth
What does faithfulness look like? According to the Apostle John, it consists in “walking in the truth” (Cf. Jn 3:21, II John 4-6). In his Third Epistle, St. John writes (vss. 3-6), “For it has given me great joy to have the brothers bear witness to how truly you walk in the path of truth. Nothing delights me more than to hear that my children are walking in this path. Beloved, you demonstrate fidelity by all that you do for the brothers… indeed, they have testified to your love before the Church.”
Faithfulness is synonymous with love. It manifests itself in the ups and downs and the in-betweens of life. It is not trotted out for public occasions only. It does not remain in reserve just for momentous decisions or turning points in life. Rather, fidelity is lived first in seemingly minor things, which then lay the groundwork for more demanding moments of being true to one’s word. Jesus says (Lk 16:10), “If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater; while anyone unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater.”
Truth and perseverance are the foundation of fidelity. A marriage begins with the exchange of vows, that is, of words spoken in truth for the sake of love, words that carry the promise to remain true in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad. Other vocations in the Church also begin with solemn promises and find their fulfillment through the grace of God and the constant effort to be true to those words.
Remaining true when truth is denied
Our generation is not the first to find it hard to be faithful, and we are not the first to doubt the existence of objective truth. Could it be that these two walk hand in hand? Already during the Passion of Christ, we find Pontius Pilate exhibiting doubt about the truth. Recall that famous moment when, during the trial of Jesus in the praetorium, our Savior says to him (John 18:37), “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Unable or perhaps lacking the courage to do what he knows is right, Pilate replies to Jesus, “What is truth?”
There is little difference between questioning whether truth exists and acting in total disregard for what one knows is true. Certainly, in both cases, the consequences are catastrophic. Pontius Pilate had a duty to protect the right to life of an innocent man (Jesus). Whether doubt kept him from doing so, or fear of the crowd, the fatal consequences were the same. Similar consequences occur still today “when truth stumbles in the public square.”
On the other hand, great blessings flow when truth and perseverance abound, even in the face of great obstacles. The virtue of fidelity bears much fruit. It lays the foundation for a happy marriage and loving family. It also provides solid ground for a culture of life and a civilization of love.
We find the grace to be faithful in the One who came into our world to testify to the truth. This is why the Letter to the Hebrews exhorts us (12:2-3) “to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith,” and adds “Remember how He endured the opposition of sinners; hence do not grow despondent or abandon the struggle.” Along similar lines, St. Paul writes (Col 2:6-8), “Continue, therefore, to live in Christ Jesus the Lord, in the spirit in which you received Him. Be rooted in Him and built up in Him, growing ever stronger in faith, as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one deceives you through any empty, seductive philosophy that follows mere human traditions, a philosophy based on cosmic powers rather than on Christ.”
A Year for Priests
When Pope Benedict XVI announced recently that the Church would observe a special Year for Priests, beginning on the 19th of June 2009, the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is notable that he chose the following title for the Year: “The Faithfulness of Christ, The Faithfulness of the Priest.”
Our Holy Father, who served for many years as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, knows well that priestly life and ministry can flourish only when marked by fidelity and by a grateful commitment to the truth. Perhaps, too, he had in mind the teaching of Vatican II on the call of priests to holiness through prayer, sacrifice and pastoral charity (Cf. Lumen Gentium, #41). Inspired by saintly pastors and missionaries of the past, the Council told priests (Ibid), “Rather than be held back by perils and hardship in their apostolic labors they should rise to greater holiness, nourishing and fostering their actions with an overflowing contemplation.” In order to be faithful in our ministry, we must first be faithful to contemplative prayer, nourishing a deep bond of love with Christ.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, Pope Benedict has proposed St. John Vianney as a shining example for us priests and bishops to follow. Recalling the fidelity of this patron saint of priests, the Holy Father is pointing us in a direction that is countercultural for the sake of the Gospel and at the same time certain to produce good fruit. The Year for Priests can also be a blessing for all members of the Church, including my niece and nephew, who are about to begin their married lives. Indeed, the faithfulness of Christ is the root and fountain for faithfulness in every Christian vocation.
