Readings:
1 John 2: 22-28
John 1: 19-28
Reflection
Denying the Son (Christ) is like denying God (the Father) says John in today’s first reading (1 John 2: 22-28). Denying Christ can take different forms today: denying the gospel values, denying the history of the Church, denying the authority structure in the Church, denying the deposits of faith, denying the magisterial teachings of the Church and so on.
The reasons for the denial are many. Some say the denials are due to scandals, corruption, abuse and so on. While such reasons have made a significant contribution to the attitude of denial among many, there are a few core issues that lead people to denial of Christ and His Church today.
Deeply confused views and ideas about God, difficulties in understanding the Bible, the relationship between religion and science, and the evil of violence in the name of religion are the core issues that lead people away from the Truth revealed in Christ.
So how do we recognise Jesus Christ as the Truth? A popular commercial song of the 1980s named True has a lyric that refers to the truth as that deep ‘sound of our souls.’ To listen to the sound of the soul one must immerse into Silence and Stillness. It is in the silence and stillness God whispers. That is how the truth comes to light; the sound of the soul.
Recently, I made an outback trip from Adelaide to Coober Pedy. Taking a break in the wilderness during my journey gave me an experience of a different world altogether: a world of silence and stillness. It reminded me of the Desert Fathers who went into the wilderness seeking God and God’s truth.
In a world that denies God for so many reasons, there is a need for silence and stillness. Where there is silence and stillness, healing is effective. When there is healing, the Truth prevails.
Happy New Year – 2025
Justin Durai Raj CP is a member of the Passionist community at St.Paul, Glen Osmond, SA.