The Truth Hurts

“Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and be diverted in myths.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

There is such a tremendous difference between telling someone that his actions are wrong and telling him that he is condemning himself. The former address objective truth, whereas the latter makes a judgment. There are so many who say, “Who are you to tell me what is right and wrong?” and in their defensiveness compel their critics to “love the sinner, but hate the sin.” They are confused by the notion that correction, admonishment, and reprimanding are signs of judgment about their character, not of their action. They recognize the value of “tough love” until they are at the receiving end.

Oftentimes, their blindness is only agitated by the messenger. The convincing and encouraging are often missing. I freely admit that I'm often among the worst in that regard. But if we present right teaching to its opponents as fact, without the groundwork of reason, our message will usually be, at best, divisive.

I had a discussion with a Protestant friend the other day, and we talked a little bit about the relation between Scripture and the Church. I think the gist of what I presented was that they were separate, but equally authoritative, complementary and supplementary necessities of faith. But it has really gotten me thinking about the role of the Church. And my conclusion is this, though these summations are necessarily incomplete: Scripture contains the essential elements of the gospel that can bring anyone who seeks righteousness to the grace of salvation through faith. The Church is the protector and interpreter of Scripture through her union with the Holy Spirit. The Word of God includes the entirety of Scripture, but we know by John 1 that the Word is Jesus, and no amount of writing can contain Him in His entirety. How then do we come to full knowledge of Him? Through his bride, the Church.

The divisions among the baptized make it clear that we are enduring this time prophesied by St. Paul. To what can we appeal to heal the brokenness of the Body? We must discover again the source of sound doctrine. We must expose the myths. We must answer those teachers who say that our desires and curiosity can be satisfied in any manner but through the Church. And we must do so with encouragement, conviction, persistence, and patience.

Our Lady of Sorrows, as you saw your Son's Body brought to destruction on the cross, only to be restored by the power of the Father, so you see His Body again torn and suffering. You became our mother on that day. Pray for us, and hold us in your arms, that we may again be restored for the glory of the Almighty.