Believing the Lies

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1: 25

Each one of us is capable of getting to the point where we reject the Truth of God for a lie of this world.

Most of the time it begins small like a crack in the earth where a trickle of water is bubbling out. But then, as the lie becomes more imbedded in our psyches and our souls, we begin to believe it, just as the water begins to flow like a little creek down the mountain. Eventually, if unchecked or not confronted, the lie we have begun to believe can become a reality or “truth” for us. At this point rushing and moving through our person like a mighty river heading to the sea.

How does this happen? Well, obviously the Evil One, the “Father of Lies” is constantly trying to fill our minds and hearts with deceptions, doubts, confusion, half-truths and outright lies about everything from who God is and what He reveals to us to who we are and how we are to live our lives. Satan is also trying to use every means possible to spread his filth, especially in today’s culture with the mass media, music, movies, etc. He knows that if he can convince enough people to believe in his lies, that they will become “truths” in our culture. We also have peer pressure—whether this is at school, home or in the workplace—with people contributing to the spread of Satan’s lies, often unknowingly.

The greatest challenge comes in trying to confront the lies either within ourselves, amongst our friends or in society at large because if Satan has been effective, confronting the lies does not come across as loving (no matter how loving one may actually be), but it comes off as intolerance, ignorance or bigotry. And how many of us want to be painted in those terms? So what happens in Satan’s great plan is that he creates the lies, spreads them and then tries to make it almost impossible to challenge them. Of course, this is why he is evil personified.

So what is a believer to do? First we need to pray. And pray specifically for protection from the lies. Then we need to pray for humility; the humility to accept the Truth that comes to us from God through His Church. Finally, we need to pray for the grace to see and love others as Christ does. Secondly, we need to learn what God teaches us. We need to read our Bibles and study the teachings of the Church found in the Catechism and become familiar enough with Truth that it flows from us like sunbeams reflecting off the moon. Lastly, we need to be willing to risk rejection, mockery and isolation by confronting the lies with the Truth when given the opportunity or the responsibility by the Lord to do so—in ourselves, in our homes, in our schools, in our places of work—and maybe even within our church family. Only when the lies of Satan are brought to the light and nipped in the bud, can they be exposed for what they are—death where life is promised and sorrow where happiness is promised.

Dear Jesus, I want to live in Truth. Grant me the humility to see it, the strength to live in it and the courage to use it to confront the lies of Satan in our world. Amen.