HOMILY/ REFLECTION FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 7TH WEEK OF EASTER 15th May 2024

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 7TH WEEK OF EASTER 15th May 2024

Acts 20:28-38; Ps.68; John 17:11b-19

Know and Teach the Truth

Teaching is a very powerful concept. It involves the transmission of knowledge in an atmosphere that is psychologically submissive to the learner. Teaching can be either through words or actions. In the first reading of today, Paul continued his testimony to the elders of the Church in Ephesus of how he has taught the believers. His teaching was able to make such great positive impact because he taught the truth of the gospel. However, Paul calls the elders to due diligence because just as teaching the truth is able to bring about massive positive influence, so also false teaching will bring about massive negative influence.

To guide against false teaching, first, Paul recommended that the Church of the Lord should be properly feed. Feeding, here, means to continue to preach/teach the truth. There is no better way of discarding darkness than by igniting light. If we must eradicate evil, we will not stop at being arm-chair critics or merely wishing that evil will disappear some day; we must actively do the necessary good. Lest we forget, the inactivity of goodly men is what gives credence to the growth of evil in any human community. If we continually teach the truth, then the flock of Christ will always have sufficient tools to counter false teachings.

Secondly, Paul asked that the elders be watchful of the rise of false teachings both from within and outside the Christian community. No false teaching ever seem like it; it always claim to be the truth. But the intent is manipulative and the end is destructive. So, we must continue to evaluate whatever teaching we hear or encounter. The point here is that we should adopt a bit of skepticism. Don’t immediately believe everything you hear; check-out if it is in line with the tenets of the gospel. Manipulation can come from where you least expect.

A good teacher can be negatively influenced and start teaching falsehood. From time to time, we experience moments of weaknesses wherein our thoughts and actions may be far from the truth. Therefore, we should subject every message that claims to come from God to a truth-test. But for this to be possible, we should, to some extent, know the truth ourselves. A student that depends entirely on what comes from the teacher will be liable to limited knowledge and may never discover when the teacher is mistaken. Personal dedication to reading the Word of God will go a long way to save us from falling prey to false teaching, irrespective of where or from whom they may arise. God’s Word is the ultimate truth. Any truth-claim that does not coheir with God’s Word is false.