Scripture for
meditation: Matthew 5:12-13
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and
utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
The Catechism of
the Catholic Church teaches: 2482: “A lie consists in speaking a falsehood
with the intention of deceiving.” (St. Augustine) The Lord denounces lying as
the work of the devil: “You are of your father the devil… there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and
the father of lies.” (John 8:44) 2483:
Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act
against the truth in order to lead into error someone who has the right to know
the truth. By injuring man’s relation to truth and to his neighbor, a lie
offends against the fundamental relation of man and of his word to the Lord. 2485: By its very nature, lying is to
be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is
to communicate known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a
neighbor into error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a
failure in justice and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention
of deceiving entails the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led
astray. 2486: Since it violates the
virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects his
ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and decision. It
contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is destructive of
society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social
relationships.
The Navarre Bible
tells us: The Beatitudes are the conditions Jesus lays down for entering
the Kingdom of heaven. This verse, in a way summing up the preceding ones, is
an invitation to everyone to put this teaching into practice. The Christian life,
then, is no easy matter, but it is worthwhile, given the reward that Jesus
promises. (Four Courts Press, 1988)
My thoughts: I
recently saw the movie “For Greater Glory” about the persecution of the
Catholic Church in Mexico in the 1920’s. If you have any doubts about the
terror of lies and the evil which is unleashed in those who seek to destroy the
Catholic Church, you won’t by the end of this movie. Lying is evil. It puts
untruth into the world. Those who lie about God’s teachings and draw people to
eternal damnation are held accountable by God for all the souls that were lost
because of them. It is much wiser and holier to always seek the truth, live the
truth and bring the truth to others. Popular opinion may go against you, and
you may be the victim of those who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth
from coming out, but in the end, you win. You have helped the world, not harmed
it, and you shall see the face of God. Lovely!!
Prayer: Psalm 91
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest
in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my
fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s
snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and
under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and
rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread
on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because
he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he
acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
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