10th Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Wednesday - Christian Confidence

 

There is a common idea these days that if you are not open to changing your mind on a subject, you are arrogant and egotistical. And it’s true. A lot of people put too much stock in their own opinions, their own way of seeing things. They develop very strong feelings about their ideas, and defend them tooth-and-nail.

And yes, we should always be open to deepening our understanding about the world, about each other, and most importantly about God. But Christians standing firm in the Truth, and in the truths of our faith, is not arrogant or prideful. Because the Truth of our Faith isn’t a matter of opinion. It’s not one attempt of man among many to grasp at the truth. 

The Truth we profess and preach comes from God, and that gives us a confidence. 

From the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation, the Bible is about why and how people are to have confidence in God. We are to trust Him and we get in trouble when we don’t. We are to listen to Him as obedient children. We are to follow his voice as sheep do to a shepherd. We are to build our lives on the solid rock foundation of his teachings. And because God does not deceive us, for he cannot deceive nor be deceived, we can have confidence in what He has revealed to us.

Confidence in God means I can trust Him in all situations. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about this confidence he has in sharing the Gospel. We heard today, “Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God.”

In the midst of so much confusion in the world, I find joy in knowing the Truth and sharing the Truth. When I get to share our Faith in RCIA and over in the school classrooms and in adult faith formation and even in preaching at Mass, I even get a little gleeful.

And sadly, yet there are some people, even some professed Catholics, who value their own opinions over the Truth taught by the Church’s Magisterium. And they call us arrogant and egotistical, and even hateful. I’ve experienced it. I’ve experienced it here. But love rejoices in the truth. 

Paul tells Bishop St. Timothy, “impart the word of truth without deviation.” We don’t and can’t change the Truth because the world disbelieves it or hates. As our dear Pope Benedict used to say, “Truth is not determined by a majority vote.” 

But, the danger, the responsibility of sharing the truth means that you better be careful that you aren’t confusing your opinion with the Truth that comes from God.  There are people on the right and there are people on the left who make this mistake. God save us from prideful heresy and valuing human tradition over Sacred Tradition.

But have confidence in sharing the Truth of the Gospel. There are people who long to hear it. There are people who long to embrace it for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her in her mission and all of her trials. 

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.