Truth Part Two

In last evening's post, we discussed the concept of truth and how Jesus Christ is "the Truth" (John 14:16).

Today, we will speak of sins against truth.   There are many outlined in the Catechism.

1) False witness and perjury leads to condemnation of innocent people, exoneration of guilty ones, and unnecessary punishment for some.
2) Making rash judgment is assuming without sufficient foundation the moral fault of a neighbor.
3) Detraction is, without good reason, disclosing someone's fault and failings to a person or people to did not know them.
4) Calumny is making untruthful remarks that harms someone's reputation, and plants the seed for false judgements to be made about them.
5) Adulation (sometimes known as flattery) is confirming someone in malicious acts and perverse conduct.  If we are accomplice with someone in their sins, it is a serious mortal sin.   If we do it just to be agreeable, or meet some need, it is a venial sin.
6) Boasting (sometimes known as bragging) is highlighting someone's strength or accomplishments beyond their just measure, and/or to put someone else down by comparison.
7) Irony is caricature of some aspect of someone's behavior to disparage him or her.
8) Lying is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone to error who has a right to know the truth.

The Catechism then speaks of the duty of reparation after one or more of these sins have been committed.  This needs to occur even after the person who committed one or more of these sins has been forgiven.   The injured person has a right to material and/or moral satisfaction.

We should all examine our conscience by looking at the above list, and applying both not just to our relationship with our fellow men, and also with God.   Do we care about God's reputation?  While it is impossible to sin against God by boasting about Him (because we can never speak highly enough about Him), or by flattering Him (because He never is involved in evil conduct),  we can commit all the other sins against truth against Him (i.e. we can lie about Him, we can make fun of Him [irony], and we can make rash judgement about Him).   

Truth is ultimately about justice.  Justice, as I spoke of in a post back in May, is one of the four cardinal virtues.  It is "the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor." (p.1807).   I said at the time: When we are just, we give to God and others what is due them (respect, rights, etc.), and we promote the common good.  The Catechism states "The virtue of truth gives another his just due." (p.2469). 

One of the titles of Joseph in his litany is Joseph, most just.   If Joseph is just, he must necessarily be most true.   He gave to Our Lord what was due to Him; adoration and love.  He gave to the Blessed Virgin was due to her; honor, and love.  He gave to the civil authorities of his time what was due; he paid his taxes, and worked hard.  He gave his religion what was due to it; he presented Jesus for circumcision, and said his prayers.   He was true to all his obligations in life, and was rewarded with eternal life.  May we follow in his footsteps, be true in all we do, and all we say.  Let us pray for the virtue of justice to be increased in us, and come to know Jesus Christ more and more everyday so that we may indeed live "in the truth".

Joseph most just, pray for us, and pray for justice to reign in our land.