“Never deny what you have recognized as truth” (Inner Word).
Today’s phrase presents quite a challenge for us Christians. In reality, we should know that we can never deny the truth, because God is truth itself, and professing it aligns with our deepest identity. However, the Holy Scriptures make it clear that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5). And they did not merely fail to accept it; they try to hide it, fight it, and even ridicule it.
As disciples of the Lord, we find ourselves drawn into this rejection when we profess the truth of the faith. We experience the resistance that comes from the darkness, which uses people who do not know the truth to oppose our witness in many ways. Here, the Lord’s exhortation applies concretely: Never deny the truth!
We must remember that, in such situations, we are never alone. The Spirit of fortitude will help us overcome fears and human concerns. And precisely when bearing witness to the truth costs us and becomes a cross to carry, our Father will look upon us with special love and reward our faithfulness.
Certainly, we must learn to weigh each situation in the Spirit of the Lord in order to speak and act with prudence. However, prudence has nothing to do with denial and should not contain even a trace of fearful self-protection.
The truth is such a great treasure that it is worth giving our lives for. The decision to live for the truth will also lead us to constantly strive to live according to our Father’s will and, with His help, to overcome all the half-measures, relativizations, and shadows that we still carry within us.
This is how we show our love for our Father.