“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”― Mahatma Gandhi

(Gospel Text: MT 5:33-37)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

Do not take a false oath,

but make good to the Lord all that you vow.

But I say to you, do not swear at all;

not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;

nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Do not swear by your head,

for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’

Anything more is from the Evil One.”

“Let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’” Christ urges that we use simple and direct language to represent the sincerity of our intentions.  Yet in our business world, there is nothing simple about the pages and pages of contracts that have to be signed when a house or car is purchased. Even the length and language of  “informed” consent forms for many medical procedures can be overwhelming and most people sign them without reading them.

In the gospel today Jesus invites us to live in truth at every instance, to conform our thinking, our words and our deeds to the truth.

But, the truth is what?

This is the great question, already formulated in the Gospel, during the judgment against Jesus, in Pilate's own words, which so many thinkers, throughout time, have been trying to give an answer to.

Here it is, plain and simple - The Truth is God.

Whoever lives by pleasing God, by abiding by his Commandments, lives in Truth.

If we all truly lived for Christ, our world would be a very different place.

So “Let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ when it comes to God and his Church….and do your very best every day to mean it!