His Truth Is Marching On

24 Jan

“The truth is on the march and nothing will stop it.”  ~ Emile Zola

Whenever I sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic when I was a child, I would always get chills singing the refrain:  “Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!  Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!  Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!  His truth is marching on.”  There were many times that the Sisters would allow us to march to the tune on the playground.  It felt so glorious and so full of splendor.  It was pomp and circumstance itself.

One of the things that I thought about as we sang the song was the whole concept of “truth”.  I think you know me well enough by know to know that I really like thinking about things, how they developed, what they meant, and what meaning they have for us today.  Truth was one of those things that puzzled me.

Perhaps it was because, as children, truth was often an alien concept.  Truth was something that was used only if convenient and circumvented if need be.  The truth would not be told if one was going to get in trouble even though we knew that if and when the truth was found out the trouble would be even worse for us.

Truth is a concept that many struggled with throughout the years.  Pilate, in his interrogation of Jesus, when Jesus stated that He came to testify to the truth, responded by blurting out, “Truth!  What is truth?”  Pilate knew that truth was something that was used only when convenient.  That concept has not changed much throughout the years.

Perhaps that is why it is so difficult for us to hear the admonition that we are to testify to the truth as we live our own daily lives.  We ask ourselves the same question Pilate asked: “Truth!  What is truth?”

What is the truth?  I would posit that the truth involves some very pertinent points:

  • God loves unconditionally
  • God commissioned us to carry out the work of His Son
  • God forgives anyone who comes to Him in sorrow and asks for mercy
  • God wishes to save all of His people

The truth we proclaim, then, must be the same as God’s.  That is what makes the life of a believer so difficult. We, too, must love unconditionally.  We must forgive all who come to us who are contrite and who ask for our forgiveness.  We must accept all people because God loves all and wishes to save all.

That is difficult to do but, with God’s help, nothing is impossible.  He will always give us His aid if we but ask.

FAITH ACTION:  Proclaim God’s truth by word and by loving deed this day.