“Every hour in which the poison of false teaching and false practice works unnoticed poisons the Body of the Lord.” (Inner Word)
The truth, which is God Himself and which He has entrusted to His Church, is a priceless treasure that must be preserved with the utmost care and love. This is why an undiminished witness to the truth is so important. Every lie and every error poisons the Body of the Lord and must be recognized and overcome. We know Jesus’ statement before Pilate: “For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” (John 18:37b)
But what would become of people if they no longer heard the unabridged truth from the Church? Would it not then be difficult for them to recognize the Lord and the Church? Are we blocking their path instead of serving as signposts? What happens when relativism and the “breath of the dragon” obscure the beauty of the liturgy, cloud the clarity of doctrine, and turn the pursuit of holiness into mere social activity? Where, then, does the stream—the water of life—flow that comes from the throne of the Lamb? (cf. Rev. 22:1)
Without a doubt, our Father established the Church as a bulwark of truth and adorned Her with wonderful gifts. These gifts are entrusted to us for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity. Out of love for God and humanity, we must hold fast to being “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” as Jesus commands us (Matthew 5:13–14). Every deviation from the truth and every relativization of morality sickens the Church and opens the door to demons. She will find healing and liberation only if She listens to the Holy Spirit and remains under His guidance. He will not tolerate any false teaching or false practice.