Our society is thirsty for truth: we often fear it has abandoned us as we absorb the speeches of politicians, news media, those with commercial, legal, religious or ideological agenda. This week’s reflection looks at two recommended bible readings, one from Hebrew scripture and one from Jesus’ life, that might help us pursue truth.
Image used from EBay.
It is not going too far to say that we are in a crisis about truth. We are easily conned by those in power; perhaps we are happy to accept this and to con ourselves, too.
The people addressed by the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah, whose words anticipate the imminent fall of Jerusalem, were also starved of truth. And they had to take some responsibility for that. His is a book of warning. It is not without hope … but today’s readers know the warnings were not heeded and disaster followed.
“Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!
It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the Lord; it has not drawn near to its God.
The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning.
Its prophets are reckless, faithless persons; its priests have profaned what is sacred, they have done violence to the law.”
The new era of hope - which is close at hand - will see YHWH (God) ‘change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech’ (verse 9).
Thanks to Christopher Michel under Creative Commons.
In a suggested reading from the New Testament writer Matthew, Jesus tells a story. Some of those in his audience were antagonistic, confronting him, challenging his authority. Jesus’ response is to tell them about a father who asked his two sons to help him gather grapes from his vineyard. One son promised to help, and then didn’t bother. The other refused, but later relented and did the work.
What matters to the father, who might represent YHWH, is not the answer given but the action taken: it is the action that matters as we are invited to assess which son behaved well.
Thanks to AlbInfo for the Image, used under Creative Commons.
A spoken response can be immediate. Words can be cheap. Often, it takes time to watch, wait, pay attention and see whether the related actions or behaviour materialises. And we are, to some extent, always responsible for what we choose to believe.
Perhaps this applies to our choice of political leaders and the media we consume. Perhaps it applies to our decisions about the friends and partners we choose to invite into our lives. Perhaps it applies to our own use of words and the time we give ourselves to let those sink in; the seriousness with which we take the marriage of speech and action in our own lives.
This Advent, we remember the momentous way in which the Christian God made his word flesh. The communication of God was embodied. As Christ’s siblings, we aspire to model this perfect marriage of speeches made and life lived.
Music, poetry and art can communicate truth to power - although this is not always easy listening! You will have your own favourites but might like to listen to Angry by the Bug, look at Picasso’s Femme en pleurs (easy to find online!) or shout out Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.