When Truth Collapses Around Us

I often feel like a lost child when I climb the one step into our pulpit. This step is daunting unless I remember that I belong to God and to my faith-filled ancestors. I proclaim the Gospel and preach on the backs of Abraham and people who journeyed through fear, including the disciples who climbed Calvary to see Jesus. Bearing the weight of the Gospel in my body rouses fear in me.

Our day is no different from when the disciples faced such fear. Jesus is concerned that testifying to his death and resurrection will not be easy. This testimony emerges from the deep experiences of humanity where division and hatred also live. Truth is never effortlessly proclaimed and never easily taken to heart. When the Gospel flows from our mouths to ears of great resistance, truth often falls to the ground and withers, but it never dies.

Jesus offers us remedy when truth collapses around us. The Holy Spirit is as alive within our generation as it was for the disciples and for the martyrs whom we celebrate today. The Holy Spirit flows even more deeply into our lives than fear, so our words may thrive on the firm ground of love and compassion. When our hearts are open to the Spirit, our words will testify to this truth: only when the poor have shelter and the hungry are fed will love and justice find a true home.

Fr. Ron Raab

Ronald Patrick Raab, CSC, is pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs. Learn more at http://www.ronaldraab.com.