Ding!
I groaned as I read the incoming text. “Did you happen to get to that letter of recommendation yet?” I mulled over my response as the half-finished letter sat on the screen in front of me. “Yep, all taken care of, let me follow up with the program head!” I began to type—then caught myself.
Once again I was falling for the temptation to make myself appear better or shift the blame to someone else. I had been asking the Lord’s help to actively fight this accusation from Father of Lies—that my imperfections invalidated my goodness or meant I didn’t care.
I didn’t need to appear better. I needed to be free from the snares of the enemy.
I mustered my courage and typed instead, “Thank you for the reminder! Please forgive my delay. I’m doing it right now and will text as soon as it’s done.” Send. I certainly wasn’t perfect—but in that moment, I was free.
The Pharisees in today’s Gospel become trapped in those same snares. They were paralyzed by the fear of appearing less intelligent, important, or losing their monopoly on being the resident expert in their field. Out of desperate self-preservation, they twisted every truth about the very Person of Truth, Christ. Nicodemus, however, broke with His fellow Pharisees. He imitated Christ in boldly seeking and speaking Truth—regardless of the bitter scorn it invited.
His courage convicts me deeply and brings great hope.
Maybe you, too, have been tempted to stretch the truth in fear of rejection or failure. Or maybe you feel trapped in the crowd, accosted by conflicting messages of what the Truth actually is.
The good news? We can seek—and objectively find—real Truth. Not in social media, the news, or even our favorite priest—but through its primary source: Divine Revelation, given primarily in Christ, related in Scripture and Tradition, interpreted by the Church.
Our fallen world will always seek to crucify the Truth out of self-interest or self-preservation.
Instead, follow after Nicodemus and Christ Himself. Be not afraid to boldly shine the light of Truth in love!
listen to today’s devotion
[bctt tweet="We can seek—and objectively find—real Truth. // @megan_hjelmstad" username="blessedisshe__"]
If you tend toward perfectionism, what can you be honest about and free yourself from today?
