Trinity and Humanity

Why does it bother us when someone lies to us? Who cares? Does it even matter whether we are truthful or not? It seems lately that it is getting harder and harder to hear truth. From politicians spouting statistics known to be false to advertisements that promise to “restore youth”, “regrow hair”, or help attract the person of our dreams we are constantly bombarded with obfuscations, little white lies, and plain old whoppers. So does it matter? Perhaps a better question is; “Why does truth matter?” Well the answer to every question is… “Who is Jesus?” Yes I know that is a question answering a question. I’m not a Rabbi but indulge me for a moment please. You see there is truth- absolute truth in fact but only because of the Truth. You see Jesus Christ, the one who has been face to face in honest communion with his Father from eternity, is Truth. In John’s Gospel he records the words of Jesus in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” Truth in the first instance is not a what but a who. The questions is not; “What is truth?” or even  if we should tell the truth the question before us is “Who is Truth?” Jesus is the Truth. The relationship between God the Father and His Son Jesus in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the foundation of every thought in the Cosmos. Telling the  truth matters because Jesus is truth and we are created for, adopted into, and called to participate in the very life of God. In researching for this blog I read an article at Psychology Today citing a study where out of 1000 participants the average lies told per day was 1.6. According to a recent study at Notre Dame those participants who consciously avoided lying for ten weeks showed significantly better physical and mental health during the ten week study. Shockingly when I read the online article about the Notre Dame study there was a hyperlink in the text that led one to believe it would go to the actual website for the study on lying but alas it was only a link to an advertisement. It seems we can’t even write articles about studies on lying with openness. You see our very being is inseparably linked in mystical union with the Triune God. We are called to share in the very life of God. (Jn. 10:10) So how many times a day do you think Jesus lies to the Father or how many times a week does Holy Spirit lie to Jesus? Simply put, Jesus is life, Jesus is Truth, and there is no life in lying. It takes more courage and integrity than we can muster to tell the truth at all times in all situations but Jesus is Truth and He shares himself with us completely in every moment and therefore telling the truth for us is merely a picture of our participation in the Triune Life of Love… the life that only is Life. Whether we tell the truth or not God loves us and accepts us as the broken ones we are. You belong to the Father, Son, and Spirit. You always have. You always will. The Father loves you and likes you. You are His beloved child. And that’s no lie because Jesus is the Truth of all truths!

                                                                                                                                     ~Bill Winn