In our Psalm today, we heard the following phrases:
The judgements of the Lord are true, and all of them just.
The law of the LORD is perfect.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy.
The precepts of the LORD are right.
The command of the LORD is clear.
Phrases like these are crucially important for us to meditate on and ask God to help us accept— because they are so fundamentally contrary to the way the world, the flesh, and the devil are all pressuring us to think.
On a daily basis, we’re bombarded with messages that would have us replace these Divinely inspired phrases with the following:
The law of my desires is perfect.
The decree of my opinion is trustworthy.
The precepts of my political party are right.
The command of my individual choice is clear.
My judgements are true, and all of them just.
When we come right down to it, one of the most devastating obstacles to the life of faith, to people embracing the Gospel, trusting the Church’s Magisterium, and ultimately coming to actually love one another as Christ has loved us, is this deeply embedded lie that we get to judge the universe.
That we get to define reality. Define what’s perfect, trustworthy and right.
Define truth!
But we simply don’t have that power. We can only receive Truth.
The prophet Amos, from our first reading, certainly did not have the luxury of deciding what God wanted him to say to king Jeroboam. After the king made up his mind that Amos was wrong and should be silenced, Amos defended himself saying:
“I was no prophet! Nor have I belonged to a company of prophets!”
In other words: I didn’t ask for this, King Jeroboam. I was quite happy being a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. I didn’t come up with this stuff I’m saying. This is not my message and I didn’t even ASK to be a prophet. This is the Lord’s Word to you. Take it or leave it. His law is perfect! His decree is trustworthy! His precepts are right! His command is clear! You’re free to deny it, but you’re not free to change it or redefine it.
God is truth.
We can either stand with Him… or fall. We can either receive Him, or toss Him aside.
The challenge that the Church places before each one of us over and over is to receive the full Truth of God, as presented faithfully by the Catholic Church, with docility. With humility. With deep reverence and an open heart.
This culminates in our reception of Holy Eucharist — which is itself a visible sign of our conformity and adherence to the Truth, Who IS Jesus Christ Himself. We approach communion and hear the words: “The Body of Christ.” We respond “Amen” because we’re saying AMEN to everything Jesus and His Church He continues to guide and sustain proclaims to be real. To be true! His decree is trustworthy! And what does he decree for us this very morning? That bread will become His Body. That wine will become His Blood. How trustworthy this decree truly is.
Therefore, let us receive Truth Himself.
