March 29, 2023
by Carol Zuegner
Creighton University's Department of Journalism, Media and Computing
click here for photo and information about the writer

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 253

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
Psalm 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
John 8:31-42

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One line from today’s gospel reading stood out to me: "The truth shall set you free."

In my heart and in my brain, I know that. But there is a disconnect. Jesus’ words also made me think of a famous American movie phrase: “You can’t handle the truth,” which is spoken in a tense courtroom scene. And I wonder if I am somewhere in the middle of those two thoughts.

I know the truth will set me free. I know I am held back by my own unwillingness to accept that I can’t lie to myself. The truth won’t set me free if I try to get around what I know to be true. If I think I can think poorly of someone, if I think I can get away with feeling better at someone’s expense, if I try to skirt what I know I should be doing in my prayer life and the rest of my life. I know the truth. And I know how accepting the truth can set me free. I am a flawed and broken person as we all are. God loves me the way I am. I have become a slave to sin, to the easy way, to things that momentarily make me feel better but do not offer consolation.

I think I sometimes feel I can’t handle the truth that God loves me because of my flaws and my brokenness. But he does. Like the people in John’s gospel grappling with the ideas Jesus presented, I look for loopholes or other explanations. I need to remain in the word of God and truly be a disciple. I can see the truth that I can pay attention to the large and small things every day where I know I can do the right thing. I know that truth will set me free. And I know that I can handle that truth with God’s help.

Let me keep the word of God with a generous heart.

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