Wednesday, May 12, 2021

12 May 2021 - to all truth


But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.

In a special way the Holy Spirit guides the Church to all truth, for the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth (see First Timothy 3:15). But it is also true that he guides individuals. Those on whom the anointing of the Spirit rests are taught about "everything" so that they have "no need that anyone should teach" them (see First John 2:27). These might at first seemed to be opposed but are actually synergistic. 

It is within the Church, because it is animated by the Spirit of truth, that the anointing teaches us as individuals. Jesus told us his disciples call no one teacher for we have one Teacher (see Matthew 23:8). When John says we have no need of teachers he means to assure us that we have no need to turn to teachers other than the one Teacher, to resources other than the resources given to us by God. We don't need to turn to outside resources, to the latest scholarship, to the most refined philosophy, in order to understand what is essential. Those things can be helpful, but it is a relationship that is meant to be primary. We have a Teacher who speaks to us through Scripture and Tradition, interpreted by the Magisterium, guided by the Spirit. If we are willing to be open and to listen we don't need to be afraid that we might miss something that we need to understand because we aren't sufficiently clever. It is rather that God gives wisdom to the simple (see Psalm 19:7).

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.

The Spirit guided the Church into an ever deeper and more complete understanding of the revealed mysteries of Christianity. Just as the Spirit was patient then so too is he patient with us as he helps us to grow. This is frequently a process of setting aside our pretensions and becoming more and more like little children, ready to be taught. He will even guide philosophers as they pursue their syllogisms, and there is a place for this as well, though the higher they reach the more they need to be intentional about simplicity and humility in their work. But the main thing the Spirit is trying to convey are not abstract truths, but the words of Jesus himself. 

He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

It is when we are guided by the Spirit that we can have confidence about the future that we might otherwise think fitting only for naive children. He will assure us of the solidity of the Father's plan and the steadfastness of his promises. He will speak of things that are coming. He does that so that we can respond appropriately, yes, but especially so that we can trust that the future is ultimately in the hands of God.

The Athenians to whom Paul preached seemed to be a complicated people. They were interested in abstractions of philosophy. The would prefer to listen to many teachers about many things rather settling on definitive answers (and are in that sense very modern). Even when they were interested they would say things like, "We should like to hear you on this some other time." It was to this audience that Paul preached, conveying the teachings of the Jesus, but adapting his message to the individuals to whom he spoke. He showed how the Athenians had indeed stumbled upon legitimate truth but needed to be willing to receive the completion of that truth. The Spirit speaking through Paul, though he made appeal to the seeds of the Word that were found in Athenians, would could only be received by those willing to become like children, to lay down their pretense, to accept something which might seem worthy of derision from the perspective of academics and intellectuals. 

God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world
with justice’ through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead.”

The Spirit would help the humble to discover that such truth was not simply interesting, nor even just likely, but certain with the same certainty that a child knows that she is loved by her parents. But he could not do this in the lives of those who scoffed because of their pridefulness. 

The invitation today is to become more simple and childlike, not caught up in worldly wisdom, so that the Spirit can guide us into the fullness of truth, because it is the truth that sets us free (see John 8:32).

Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
    the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
    old men and boys.



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