Sometimes facing the truth can be so painful that we try and deny the reality the truth will expose. Worse yet, we try and eliminate the truth. Herodías, the wife of Herod, despised John the Baptist for inconveniently reminding Herod, and herself, that their marriage was unlawful and immoral. Instead of denying or ignoring the truth, she chose to trick Herod in promising her dancing daughter anything she wanted if she would only seductively dance for Herod. She did and then demanded the head of the Baptist... on a platter!!! Not very appetizing.
Trying to kill the truth is the best way to be irrevocably rid of the truth. Or so it would seem. The truth always haunts us, no matter what. Face the truth, admit it, accept the consequences and be free. Accepting the consequences is the rub that leads to all sorts of cover ups or worse.
Each one of us is in no position to judge anyone else but ourselves. We all have truths we don’t want to admit or run away from. All of us!!! Even if that truth is some inner attitude that is hateful and embarrassing, to the point that if expressed, we could lose much, including our jobs.
Jesus, the Truth, is the One who will never reject us for facing the truth, no matter how brutal that truth is. Facing the truths of our marriages, our infidelities, our lying, our living in closets, our not being who God created us to be, our addictions, our buried gifts... will free us, giving back the gift of our lives.
Peace,
Fr. Frank