The Truth Sets Free (Jn. 8:32)

As we consider world history and situations we come to realize the truth of Christ’s words: “If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32).  Even if Christianity and its missionaries chose to follow the ways of love, peace and sacrifice in the process of propagating the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the whole world, the Lord has been pleased to crown their efforts and sacrifices with success.  The way the Christian missionaries have followed has protected the freedom of people/s consciences, as Jesus Himself advised: “Ask and it will be given you, search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Mt. 7:7).  That presupposes good will on the part of the person that he be open to accept the objective truth and evidence with a sincere heart honestly seeking for the truth.  Just as in the case of the canonization of saints and blessed in the Catholic Church, the Lord provides signs and miracles that motivate people to believe.  You can check that for yourself, as in the case of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, and many other saints, if you are patient enough to research.  After all the records are well documented.  As one famous Russian writer novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), author of War and Peace said before he died – ‘to seek, always to seek’.

The words of Jesus assure us that He will accompany the Church’s mission and evangelization in the world with signs from heaven: “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.  These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover…and so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it” (Mk. 16:16-20).