From the dawn of creation, mankind has sought after truth. Philosophers have wrestled with it, scientists have attempted to quantify it, and rulers have sought to impose it. Yet, truth is not a construct of human reason, nor is it discovered through earthly wisdom. Truth is not an abstraction but a Person—our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Apostle John said: “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) In the Incarnation, truth is no longer veiled. Christ has walked among us, spoken to us, and suffered for our redemption. He is not one among many teachers who speak of truth—He is Truth itself, the eternal Logos who upholds all things.
Long before His coming in the flesh, the prophets bore witness to this reality. The great Isaiah proclaims: “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2) The Psalmist echoes this unshakable certainty: “The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever.” (Psalm 119:160) The truth of God is eternal, unchanging, and unyielding to the shifting sands of human opinion. It is not constructed by man—it is revealed by God. Christ does not conceal Himself from those who seek Him in sincerity. To the Samaritan woman at the well, He reveals the nature of true worship: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) To the man born blind, He unveils His divinity: “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” (John 9:37) Those with humble hearts, untainted by pride, receive the light of truth.
Throughout salvation history, God has granted divine illumination to those prepared to receive it. The Prophet Moses beheld the uncreated light upon Mount Sinai but could see only the Lord’s glory from behind. (Ex. 33:22–23) The Apostle Peter, overwhelmed by the radiance of Christ at the Transfiguration, fell upon his face in holy fear. (Matt. 17:6) The righteous elder Simeon, holding the Christ Child in his arms, declared with prophetic joy: “My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:30–32) Truth is not grasped by the mind alone but is received by the soul in accordance with its purity. However, not all receive Him. Pontius Pilate, standing before Truth Incarnate, asked, “What is truth?” but turned away without waiting for an answer. The disciples on the road to Emmaus, however, sought more. They implored Him, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” (Luke 24:29) When He broke bread with them, their eyes were opened, and they recognised Him. The truth of Christ is not given in a single moment but is unveiled over time, according to the soul’s capacity to receive it. The Holy Apostle Paul, once a persecutor of the Church, encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and was struck blind. His sight was restored only after days of prayer and fasting, a sign of his inner transformation (Acts 9:8–9, 17–18). The Apostle John, though beloved of Christ, received his fullest revelation in old age when he saw the heavens opened and beheld the glorified Lord (Rev. 1:9–17).
The saints and martyrs of the Church did not seek truth as a worldly pursuit but as a life lived in union with the living God. Through suffering, obedience, and unceasing prayer, they ascended from glory to glory. The Orthodox faith is not a philosophy, not a theory, but the revelation of the eternal Logos. It is a life of communion with the unchanging Truth, who is Christ our God. May we seek Him with pure hearts, that we too may behold His glory, both in this life and in the age to come.
May God bless you +
Fr. Charles
6 April 2025
