Light and Truth ... Psalm 43.3

Perhaps because I am off to Jerusalem, or maybe just because I'm a Liam Neesom fan, I have watched "Kingdom of Heaven" twice in the last week.  It's a 2005 epic about the complexities of the 12th century crusader period.  Mixed reviews...I like it.   But what struck me this time was the Knights oath.  Here's what it was:

Stained glass here at Prince of Peace Abbey
in Oceanside.  A great place to ponder truth!

"Be without fear in the face of your enemies.
Be brave and upright that God may love thee.
Speak the truth always, even if it leads to you death.
Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong--that is your oath."

Now of course the theology of 'being' good so that God loves you...that's no good.  But what really intrigued me was the line:  "Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death."   In the Christian tradition we have that great line from Pilate, "What is truth?"

Psalm 43 tells us:  "O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling."   As people of faith there is a truth that we proclaim above all others--of God's love--but we live in a world of competing truths, dare I say alternative truths or fake truths if you rather.   And worse of all we seem comfortable with these more and more on a daily basis, we seem to prefer the 'truth' of expediency or the 'truth' that resonates best with our own agenda.

The Psalmist reminds us that there is a truth from almighty God and that we should be attentive to it.  Why?  Because it is truth that brings us into the presence of God.  Perhaps this is why Jesus told his followers, "I am the way, and the truth and the life."   What truth do we find in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus?