Sometimes Truth Hurts

I didn't grow up learning God's truth, so sometimes when I hear it now, it can be hard to swallow. Sometimes when I hear the truth, it reminds me of things I did in my past that I am not at all proud to admit now. In fact, before I was confirmed in the Church, I had to first go to confession and that was a huge obstacle to me because it meant confessing my sins - each and every one of them - to another person. Sometimes the truth hurts, but in order to be healed, sometimes we must first hurt and so I know this is all for my good.

There are other times when I hear the truth and wish like mad that someone had told me that truth much earlier in life; that I had been told the truth before I'd made some of the mistakes I'd made. I am not saying I would go and change those things - first of all that's impossible, second of all, I know they have helped me to grow into the person I am today, but sometimes, I wish I had known and wonder how my life would be different.

Whether the truth is hard for me to hear or I wish I'd heard it earlier so I could make different life choices, one thing I pray for - to continue hearing the truth in all circumstances. Hearing the truth helps me to understand where I am in life and in my relationship with God. Do I need to change something in my life? Do I need to repent of something in my life? How is hearing this truth drawing me closer to Jesus?

I am amazed how many people today seem to want to avoid the truth, deny it or even get angry at hearing it. The picture I attached here reminded me of someone who was certainly not happy about hearing the truth and confronted the priest about it following Mass. What amazed me was I had also approached him, to tell him what a beautiful homily it was - it was one of those I wished I'd heard early in life.

The priest preached about chastity and purity and how beautiful God's plan is for us. He encouraged parents to teach their children (boys and girls) that they should save themselves for marriage so they could present their spouse with one of the best gifts - their virginity! He talked about how having sexual relations before marriage and having multiple partners can cause changes in our brains that make it more difficult to commit to someone for life.

After Mass I approached him to thank him for the beautiful homily. I thought it was delivered lovingly and as I said, was something I wished I heard earlier in life. There were 2 women already talking to him and as I approached, quickly learned they had the complete opposite reaction to his homily. One woman told him that he was condemning people and should be ashamed of himself. He just stood there without even changing his facial expression, allowing these women to treat him horribly. She told him that before he was assigned to that parish, the parish was full for every Mass, but now that he was there, it was nearly empty and she asked what he thought of that. He just quietly said, "You look at a full church and think the church is good. You look at a half empty church and think it is bad." She said that was true, that if he were a better priest his church would be full and what did he think of his empty church (I must admit, I really wanted to smack her - I was so horrified that she would speak to anyone like she was speaking to this Servant of God) and again, he just quietly said, "How many people were at the foot of the cross?"

Wow!

Twelve apostles and yet, only 1 was brave enough to be at the foot of the cross with his Savior (incidentally, that was the only disciple who died a natural death - just saying!). Mary, the mother of God, was also there, as well as Mary Magdalene and Mary, the wife of Clopas. 4 people willing to stand by the truth and love. Where were the other disciples? Where were all the people He had healed and raised from the dead? Where were the 5,000 He had fed just days before? Where were all the people waving palms as He rode into Jerusalem?

At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - where is everyone? Are you there? Are you listening? Are you hearing the truth and trying to live it?

It's not easy hearing and living in the truth, but it's not as hard as being crucified and dying for sinners.