Truth in Love

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross once said, “truth without love is a lie; love without truth is a delusion.” When I reflect on this, I ask myself: how many times have I had all the right arguments and yet failed to convert another person to the true path? How often have I spoken the truth devoid of love and, instead of converting those around me, caused hurt?

We misunderstand the faith when we reduce it to moral standards or dogmatic statements that we must simply believe. We vainly hope that our arguments will eliminate the need for our own conversion and sanctity. 

The countercultural identity of our faith is not rooted in reason alone. Of course, truth is important, but only insofar as it frees us to receive God’s love and allows others to have a radical encounter with the mystery of that profound love through our lives.

Knowing the truth and being morally upright is good, but we must not confuse morality with the substance of Christianity, that is, encountering the mystery of God’s presence in our lives and communicating that life to those around us.

The story of St. Anthony of the Desert tells of his selling his possessions, fleeing into the wilderness, and overcoming demonic temptations through prayer and asceticism. After St. Augustine read his story, he converted to Christianity. 

When Edith Stein read St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography and her spiritual journey from lukewarm faith to profound mystical union with God, Stein, after finishing the book in one sitting, proclaimed, “this is the truth,” and later converted, becoming St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, whom I quoted above.

The stories of the saints have produced more saints than the arguments of theologians. In a world that has lost its reason and ability to think, a proof of God’s existence, a solid philosophical argument, or a dogmatic statement will not suffice. 

Rather, let us live the drama of our faith — relying on the power of God to work in our lives through our own response of hope and perseverance — and communicate that faith to others by our radical love.