by Tim Dolan
According to a 19th-century legend, the Truth and the Lie meet one day. The Lie says to the Truth: "It's a marvelous day today!” The Truth looks up to the skies and sighs, for the day was really beautiful. They spend a lot of time together, ultimately arriving beside a well. The Lie tells the Truth: "The water is very nice, let's take a bath together!" The Truth, once again suspicious, tests the water and discovers that it indeed is very nice. They undress and start bathing. Suddenly, the Lie comes out of the water, puts on the clothes of the Truth and runs away. The furious Truth comes out of the well and runs everywhere to find the Lie and to get her clothes back. The World, seeing the Truth naked, turns its gaze away, with contempt and rage.
The poor Truth returns to the well and disappears forever, hiding therein, its shame. Since then, the Lie travels around the world, dressed as the Truth, satisfying the needs of society, because, the World, in any case, harbors no wish at all to meet the naked Truth.
Doesn't this legend resonate in today's confused media climate? The birth of the Internet appeared to herald a time of free speech and open collaboration, not just of the great news networks, but of smaller voices of individuals. In the time of Corona our fear of personal and societal danger leaves many longing for one true voice and so we turn to corporate media giants to censor all but the consensus advocates. Initially this gave us some peace until these dominant voices begin to spout opposite assertions of truth.
Where are we to place our trust? Jesus said that “my kingdom is not of this world” and “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth...” We prepare for the truth by opening our hearts in a spirit of devotion, receptivity, invitation to the Divine and in emptiness.
How to sort out truth from error? In the Gospel of Philip the metaphor of hidden roots is elaborated. “For as long as the root of evil is hidden, it is strong. But if it becomes known, it has dissolved. But it becomes visible, it has perished... As for us, let each one of us dig for the root of evil which is in him and let him pluck it out of his heart by its root. But it will be plucked out if we recognize it.”
What I take away from this is that when we simply open our awareness to ignorance and bring it into the light of consciousness it loses its power over us. Then the Gospel of Philip compares this exposing of the root also to Truth: “...they will be perfected when the whole truth is revealed. For the truth is like the ignorance: while it is hidden it rests within itself. But when it is revealed and recognized, it is glorified. Inasmuch as it is stronger than the ignorance and the error, it gives freedom. The Word said: 'If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.' Ignorance is a slave, knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth in us. If we unite with it, it will receive our fulfillment.”
Ignorance dissolves in the light, while truth is glorified. In the Biblical sense glorified means enlivened with the indwelling Christ.
These words are meant to lead us to warm contemplation and open communication internally with the Holy Spirit and outwardly with one another.
— Tim Dolan is chair of Pilgrim’s Spiritual Life Committee