Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

Lectionary: 445

 

If I speak in human and angelic tongues

but do not have love,

I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy

and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing….

 

The scriptures speak of that most illusive mystery, the human heart. Although everyone has one, we often don’t understand what is happening in there. Even our own intentions seem unfathomable. “What was I thinking?” we ask ourselves, and not only about things that happened a long time ago.

Enemies of the Church love to point at our gatherings and accuse us of hypocrisy. But they don’t see the hypocrisy of their accusation. They do not understand how difficult it is to tell the truth, or speak from the heart, or act with integrity. Many believe that their impulsive utterances, given with little reflection or forethought, are honest.  “That’s how I feel!” they might add, thus compounding their duplicity. It’s not that easy to speak the truth.

The anagram THINK reminds of the challenge of speaking the truth:

• Is it True?
• Helpful?
• Inspiring?
• Necessary?
• and Kind?

Speaking the truth occurs between real people; it is not a virtual exercise with imaginary people. (Much of what I see on Facebook is just gas by people who might be doing something useful with their time. Twitter, from what I hear, is even less reliable.)

I am convinced that fallen human creatures cannot speak the truth, discover the heart, love or be loved unless the Spirit of God moves in us. The human being is an empty vessel meant to be filled. It longs for that consummation devoutly to be wished but is not prepared to die for it.

And yet speaking the truth is terribly difficult because it has nothing to do with me. I cannot gain by it. There is no profit motive for integrity. When I speak the truth, I let it go, ceding control to the Lord. "My truth" never belonged to me. 

Martyrs like today’s Saints Cornelius and Cyprian show the world hearts that speak truth; they remind us of where love must go. Seeking satisfaction in God alone, they drink the dregs of disappointment and find, in the bottom of that cup, communion with the Crucified.