Twenty-Fifth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die: Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.

Falsehood and lying can start out small, but they are the types of sins that multiply, weighing us down with unnecessary anxieties and worries. Often when we lie, we become fearful of being found out and so we create bigger and bigger lies that eventually strangle our relationships with God and others. Our falsehoods bury us and make us unable to be ourselves anymore. Our pride and insecurities can also cause us to sin, too. Pride can convince us we are right and good when in reality we are wrong and evil. We can be convinced of our own righteousness and superiority, but that is the Devil leading us astray. Our confidence should not be in ourselves, but in God, who provides all graces and good things for us. Our doubts, fears, worries, and anxieties can also lead us astray. They can erode our confidence in God’s Goodness and in our worth as His children. They can make us feel abandoned and tempt us to abandon God. However, nothing should make us feel totally unworthy of God’s Love. Yes, we are sinners and unworthy for Jesus to enter under the roofs of our souls, but Christ has given us the Divine Word and if we accept it and live it out, then our souls shall be healed.

How can we resist all temptations to falsehood and lying? What can we do to cultivate humble hearts rooted in the love of God and neighbor? How can we guard against the doubts that try to creep into our lives and tempt us to abandon God?

O Lord, give us truthful and trusting hearts.

Amen.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

If we are true to our faith, then we should have no need to make oaths. The need to make an oath presupposes a person will lie if they don’t swear by something they hold dear. However, if we live like Christ, then we should have no predisposition to lie and will speak the truth at every opportunity. Our “Yes” means “Yes” and our “No” means “No.” If we lie, then we sin against God (and whomever we lied to) and disfigure the Divine Image within us. The only way to put things right is to confess our transgression with contrite hearts, try our best to put right our relationship with God and those we lied to, and tell the truth in all things. The truth should be one of the pillars of our faith lives, just as we should imitate Christ’s Life and follow His Way, so should we speak His Truth. If we do these things, then we shall be known as trustworthy by God and others and have nothing to fear when the final judgment comes.

Does our “Yes” mean “Yes” and our “No” mean “No?” If not, then what can we do to make amends for our falsehoods? What can we do to avoid the temptation to lie and make false oaths?

O Lord, inspire us so that every word we speak is the truth.

Amen.