The Spirit of Truth

The partners in a huge law firm were discussing their most lucrative and controversial client; a gigantic chemical company.

“Their billing hours are in excess of €100 million a year and they pay like clockwork,” the managing partner began, “but for that, can we justify defending them against polluting rivers and lakes, unlawful toxic dump sites and emitting poisonous gasses into the atmosphere?”

All were silent until the senior partner spoke up.

“You’re right, entirely right. We should raise our fees.”

Truth can be very difficult to face up to and accept; obfuscation, rationalization and denial are much easier to deal with than facing the truth about ourselves, our lives, our values and our dreams. The Risen Christ challenges us, in the gift of the “Spirit of truth,” not to approach truth in terms of profit, power, comfort or convention but to approach truth as how and where God is present in our world.  May this Easter season open our hearts to realise the truth of God’s justice and compassion in our world; may we allow the wisdom of God to inspire our spirits to transform our world in the possibilities of that truth. The Paraclete promised by Jesus to us his followers advocates for what is good, right and just, despite our scepticism, rejection and blindness to the things of God. May the Advocate guide us in whatever opportunities we all have to restore hope, to heal, to make right what has been broken, to bring back the lost, the forgotten and the marginalized.