31 Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. 36 So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. 38 I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.”
39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father!” [So] they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
(John 8:21-42)
TRUTH IN THE ERA OF FAKE NEWS
“The truth will set you free” (John 8:31) was the Scripture passage chosen for the 52nd World Day of Communication in 2018. It took as theme “Fake news and journalism for peace.” Fake news is a term that we hear in our times, one that has been coined recently, not because it did not exist in the past, but because it has become so common. The means of information have never been so accessible and efficient as they are now. In his message Pope Francis defined fake news as “the spreading of disinformation online or in the traditional media,” one that is “based on non-existent or distorted data meant to deceive and manipulate the reader.”
In the working paper for the Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment (2018), the subject on fake news was also tackled. It was described as the uncontrollable spreading of fake information. There is growing difficulty in distinguishing it from real news. With the rise of fake news, truth and reason lose their power. Because of this, we seem to have entered into a “post-truth” era, for in the world of “social networks and digital media, there is no hierarchy of truth. This is a sad reality. For many people, truth is no longer objective, not any more the conformity of the mind with reality. It is no longer 2+2=4 but whatever the person wants it to be, what he or she feels it to be.
In the Gospel, Jesus says, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The antidote for fake news or falsehood or the post-truth is the word of Jesus, for he is trustworthy. Truth is thus based on a relationship: we discover truth when we experience it from God. With our adherence to the truth, we take a stand against fake news and we have nothing to fear. Mark Twain was right in saying: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
REFLECTION QUESTION
How do I discern what is truthful in what I read, watch and listen to? How do I respond to fake news? Do I live the truth in my words and deeds?
Lord, let me remain in your word so that I may know the truth and thus be free. Amen.
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