Listen

Jesus said, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ They will deceive many people. When you hear of wars and reports of wars, don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be earthquakes and famines in all sorts of places. These things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end.”

Mark 13:5-8

Think

We live in a time when we can access information so easily that historians have nicknamed it the Information Age. Unfortunately, we are also living in a Disinformation Age. As online scams get more sophisticated and artificial intelligence gets smarter, it’s harder and harder to sort out what is actually true.

I’m not sure whether it makes me feel better or worse to know that we also had this problem two thousand years ago. Jesus warns his disciples about liars and false prophets because he knows that anyone can be tricked by them, even the best and brightest among us. And when people are confused and scared — whether from the wars, earthquakes, and famines that Jesus describes, or just because being a person is confusing and scary sometimes — it’s much, much easier to make them believe a lie.

But we can stand sure in Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through him, we can find the humility to accept when we are wrong — and to turn, always, toward what is true.

Catherine Healy

Question to Ponder:

How can you know what is really true?

Pray

God, I want to know what is true. Please lead me toward your truth, and help me not to be deceived by disinformation or lies. Amen.

Go

If God is for us, who is against us?

Romans 8:31b