Dear Family of God,

I would like to share with you a reflection from Msgr. Charles Pope: In his book, Christus Vincit, Bishop Athanasius Schneider writes,

“The crisis in the Church today is due to a neglect of the truth and specifically a reversal of the order of truth and love. Today a new principle of pastoral life is being propagated in the Church, which says: love and mercy are the highest criteria, and truth has to be subordinated to them.

According to this new theory, if there is a conflict between love and truth, truth must be sacrificed. This is a reversal and a perversion in the literal sense of the word.” (p. 166).

This makes an important point about the order of truth and love. As the Bishop reminds us, truth precedes love. It also serves as the foundation of true and perfect love.

Bishop Schneider roots this insight not just in the nature of things but in the action of God. God first sends forth his truth in the Law, through the prophets, and, perfectly, through His Son, the Word made flesh. Then, having rooted and established us in the truth, He sends forth the Holy Spirit, the Person of the Holy Trinity most associated with love. God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us (Rom 5:5). Thus, truth precedes love and frames its demands and blessings.

The precedence of truth is important for another reason: today, love is often reduced to kindness. While kindness is one aspect of love, so are correction and rebuke. In our culture, if we do not kindly approve of anything others want to do, we risk being called hateful. Love is often equated with approval, with being “nice.”

All of us must be more courageous in speaking the truth. To lie or to be silent as the wolf of deception devours them is not love; it is hate, or even worse, indifference. It is neither loving nor merciful to deprive people of the truth that can set them free. Love and mercy are beautiful, but they must be preceded by the truth. I am grateful to Bishop Schneider for this reminder.

May we all love one another, rooted in our true identity as beloved Children of God.

Yours in Christ through Mary Immaculate.

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