The Colonel took the stand in the military courtroom with defiant confidence; almost arrogance. The young Navy defense attorney knew this was his last chance to prove the innocence of his two clients. With skill, he agitated the Colonel to the point of anger and then it began: “I want answers”; the Colonel shoots back questioning “you want answers?” The reply, “I want the truth” and then it happened, Colonel Jessup yells “you can’t handle the truth.”
This is the powerful dialogue between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in the classic movie, A Few Good Men. And that line, “you can’t handle the truth” is one of the most quoted lines of any movie made in the last 25 years.
Truth is (pun intended) that there is a lot of truth in that statement. You can’t handle the truth! Perhaps in our lifetime someone has told us the truth and we could not handle it. Maybe it was truth about our own lives, the quality of the job we do; or don’t do, our health, our likes and dislikes.
As people of faith, can we handle the truth? I’m speaking of course of the truth taught by Jesus Christ and handed down by His universal church.
Today, we read in St. John’s Gospel as Jesus continues to teach the truth about the Eucharist. And the word truth is heard as Jesus speaks. “My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.” This is not symbolic language. This in fact is language of self giving, self sacrifice, self-less love. This is the language of truth.
Let’s look at the statement from verse 53: “I am the living bread came down from Heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Again, he tells the truth. And look at the reaction; the Jews began to quarrel. Remember last week, the word was murmur, and the week before they demanded signs. Yes, the truth is often met with everything from anger, to denial, to persecution of the one speaking the truth.
In reality, the Jews in our Gospel reading today and the world in which we live now still can’t handle the truth. As the sixth chapter of John continues, Jesus’ truthful teaching of eating His flesh and drinking His blood so whoever eats this bread lives forever, many disciples left Jesus, abandoned Him and rejected His gift of eternal life.
What about our world today? Jesus still is giving us His body and blood, in the Eucharist, and yet many fail to believe. Studies show that in some cases more than 50% of Catholics doubt the real presence in the Eucharist. In our world today, there exist many who wish the Church would just “get with it” “chill ax” “go with the flow” in many social issues of our day. In other words, don’t handle the truth, just “do it”.
You know maybe the Church should relax its teaching about abortion. Maybe we should not teach that artificial contraception; birth control, is wrong. Get with the times about embryonic stem cell research. Maybe euthanasia is not so big a deal. Maybe the Church should get with it and allow multiple re-marriages and ditch that annulment deal. Maybe the Church should just look the other way when it comes to same-sex marriage too.
Yes, the Church could perhaps change; if it chooses to no longer be Catholic, to no longer teach truth, no longer be faithful to the teaching of Jesus Christ. And yes, in our modern day world too, many disciples just abandon Her, the Church, and reject truth.
So how do we, whether we are solid in our convictions or still seeking the fullness of truth, respond? How do we put into action the words from John’s Gospel, chapter six? How do we, in charity, defend the faith?
We can follow a few simple steps. Know your faith. Return to the catechism. Read just one section every week. Live your faith. In word and deed, at work or play, in the market place or work place, be a living example of Christ, of the Eucharist. Practice what we preach. Be what we believe.
With His help, we can be like the Eucharist. The Eucharist nourishes our heart and soul. We can nourish the hearts and souls of our brothers and sisters; especially those who need us the most. Jesus, in becoming Eucharist for us, poured out His all; we can pour our energy and talent for the sake of His kingdom; for the sake of His Church. Jesus does the will of His Father. We can do His will too! We can do more.
And when given the opportunity to share the faith, to spread the truth, do so always like Jesus did. Be gentle, kind and patient!
When Colonel Jessup uttered those words, “you can’t handle the truth”, he was concealing a horrible crime and trying to suppress the freedom of two men caught up in following unjust orders.
The truth that Jesus brings us today is the truth that makes us free. For He who is true food and true drink is the way, the truth and the life.
That’s the truth we want to handle; that’s the truth that makes us free!
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