“An irreligious society cannot endure the truth of the human condition. It prefers a lie, no matter how idiotic it may be.”

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Gospel Text: (JN 7:40-53)

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,

"This is truly the Prophet."

Others said, "This is the Christ."

But others said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?

Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's family

and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"

So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.

Some of them even wanted to arrest him,

but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,

who asked them, "Why did you not bring him?"

The guards answered, "Never before has anyone spoken like this man."

So the Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?

Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?

But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed."

Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,

"Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him

and finds out what he is doing?"

They answered and said to him,

"You are not from Galilee also, are you?

Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."

Then each went to his own house.

Deception and treachery all around!  There is a lot of discussion today in our political arena about “fake news” and “lying.”  Some would even see such deception as a valid political strategy.  But the Gospel today reminds us that deception and failing to grasp the truth have dire consequences.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his disciples, “let your ‘yes’ be a ‘yes’ and you ‘no’ be a ‘no’.  We are called as followers of Jesus to speak the truth in love.  Telling lies and publishing falsehoods is ultimately destructive behavior that breaks down trust and leads us in the wrong direction