Given by Rev. Madison Shockley May 24, 2020
As the reading today tells us, truth is in us. Truth is defined as being according to fact or reality. There is a second definition. It is a judgement or idea that is true or accepted as true. These two definitions can be in conflict. A truth can be true according to fact but not accepted as being true. Also something can be considered false according to fact or reality but believed to be true. This is a problem. Since the Enlightenment, the source of truth has been from a European perspective. Other cultures were silenced. Today, these cultures are being recognized. An example is Columbus. Many were taught that he “discovered” America. This is odd since people had been living there for 20,000 years before he got there. Today, the White House demanded that all churches be open. This is absurd given the current pandemic. The Constitution does not give him the power to do this. We need to consider all the different perspectives to get a complete picture of what is true. While we do not everything about COVID-19, we do know something. Wearing a mask saves lives. Social distancing works. We seem to be in a world where everyone is entitled to their own truth. This has led to a distortion of reality. Churches are not closed, just the buildings. John writes that the teachings of Jesus were an alternative to the Roman point of view. Christians would be given the spirit of truth. John knew that this truth would be rejected by the world. This truth could not be seen by the world or known by the world. The spirit of truth lives inside us. If we love as God commanded, the truth would be with us. God is love and love is God. In that, we find the truth.
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