{"id":19354,"date":"2015-05-25T19:54:46","date_gmt":"2015-05-26T01:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=19354"},"modified":"2021-03-13T09:44:44","modified_gmt":"2021-03-13T15:44:44","slug":"the-spirit-of-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-spirit-of-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spirit of Truth","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Vatican<\/a><\/span><\/em>Dove released by Pope Francis attacked by a crow, <\/span><\/em>January 27th, 2014; AP Photo<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ALL<\/strong> over the world, hundreds of millions of Catholics gathered this past Pentecost Sunday and heard the Gospel<\/a> proclaimed:<\/p>\n

\n

…when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. (John 16:13)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jesus did not say “Spirit of joy” or “Spirit of peace”; He did not promise the “Spirit of love” or “Spirit of power”\u2014although the Holy Spirit is all those. Rather, Jesus used the title Spirit of Truth. <\/em>Why? Because it is truth <\/em>that sets us free; it is truth <\/em>which, when embraced, lived out, and shared produces the fruit of joy, peace, and love. And truth carries a power all on its own.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Truth, indeed, draws strength from itself and not from the amount of consent it arouses.<\/strong> \u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, Vatican, March 20, 2006<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Truth was central to Christ’s ministry. It forms, as it were, a foundation to His entire mission:<\/p>\n

\n

For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. (John 18:37)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And not only His<\/em> mission, but ours. Before He ascended into Heaven, He passed the “ministry of truth” to the Apostles:<\/p>\n

\n

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:19-20)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is all to say, brothers and sisters, that the Church can survive without physical buildings. It can survive without candles, icons, and elaborate altars. It can endure in caves, forests, and barns. But the Church cannot exist without truth<\/em>, its very bedrock. Truth, therefore, is what Satan is attacking. Truth is what the dragon desires to eclipse in order to cast the whole world into darkness. For truth is light, and without it, the very future of humanity is at risk, as Pope Benedict repeatedly warned. [1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. On the Ev<\/em><\/a>e<\/em><\/span><\/span>