Seeking Truth
From an early age, I remember trying to stand up for what is good and true. Certainly not always, but there were times when every part of my being was aching for what is right. When I was in high school, one of my friends started dating someone who cheated on her. I remember on multiple occasions telling her that she deserved to be with some who respected her. Unfortunately, she disregarded what I had to say. I remember thinking, I just care about her and want what is best for her. I told her the truth even though it was difficult to hear.
In our culture today, we hear things such as My truth is not your truth or If I’m not hurting anyone it doesn’t matter what I do. We must ask ourselves, is this way of living actually serving us? We risk the love we are made for if we believe all truth is relative. St Edith Stein stated, “Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And, do not accept anything as love which lacks truth.” The same rings true today. I’d like to share with you a bit about my journey in hopes of encouraging you to seek the truth that you were made for.
In college, I desperately remember trying to seek the truth of my identity. I had just transferred to a 4-year university after attending a 2-year community college and was looking for a place to fit in. Fortunately, I made the softball team so I had a group of people to hang out with. Even so, I still found myself lonely and asking the same restless question, “Who am I?” I wrestled with putting my identity in my performance and I was no longer one of the best players on the team. One night I was feeling down and decided to go to a Christian group on campus that was tailored to college athletes. That night the speaker shared with the group that our identity is not in our sports performance, 0ur identity is being unconditionally loved by God. Even though he was speaking to the entire room, I felt like he was speaking directly to my heart. I still reflect on his words today. It doesn’t always feel true, but I am confident that this is the truth of who I am. I am loved by God and so are you. But it doesn’t stop there, our lives are made to reflect the truth of being unconditionally loved by God and shared with others!
When I graduated college, I was faced with another deep question of truth. My college best friend was Catholic and wanted to share her faith with me. I was choosing to attend a non-denominational church and had a lot of misconceptions about Catholicism. She invited me to a Catholic conference where I came face to face with these misconceptions and had to ask myself some hard questions. What do I believe to be the fullness of the faith? At first, I was resistant, but the more I learned about Catholicism the more my heart longed for what I now believe to be the fullness of the truth. If it wasn’t for other people courageously sharing their faith with me, I would not be where I am today. Like many people, I resisted at first because living a life of truth meant I needed to make some lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, God gave me the grace for each change and it has only led to more freedom in my life.
As I shared with you earlier, I wanted to speak the truth to my friend in high school even though it was difficult for her to hear. This is because I loved her and wanted what is best for her. Truth and love are inseparable. If you don’t know what you believe or stand for, I’d invite you to go on a journey seeking the freedom your heart longs for. If you are living your Catholic faith, I challenge you to share your faith with others even if it may be scary. Letting God nudge me towards the truth has allowed me to be the freest version of myself. If you’re seeking more from this life, don’t be afraid to ask questions and surround yourself with people who are also seeking what is true and good. Let the pursuit of what is true and good set your heart free!
