If we are to stand against the deceits of the devil we are in need of “veritas.” “Veritas” is the motto of the Dominican Order and in English means “truth.”
In Saint Paul’s Epistle we are told that we will wrestle against: “principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.”
In all of these examples that Saint Paul gives to us we can see the many lies which attack us with the hope that we may come to hold them as truth. We must remember that one of the many names given to the devil is the “father of lies.” Indeed, the devil is unable to create truth and so he instead twists it in order to meet his lies.
In our world I can think of many ways in which the devil attempts to twist the truth in order to confuse us on our journey towards Heaven. Sins against the flesh is to take something which was created as good and to twist that truth until it no longer meets its God given purpose. The same can be said of all other sins which attack one of the virtues.
As is stated from 1st Peter: “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.”
Likewise, we must “stand against the desires of the devil.” He wants nothing more then to confuse us to the point to where we begin to lose faith. We stand in the midst of a confused generation where even priests and bishops have seemingly turned themselves against the truths of the Gospel. The answer to this serious issue is not to lose faith, but to endure within it. We must not allow the lies of the devil to push us away from the truths which are contained within the midst of the Church.
As Dominican order desires to pursue “veritas” the same should be said of each of us. To pursue truth in the midst of a confused world we need the four pillars of prayer, study, community, and ministry. These four pillars aid us to come to know and serve God in all things. To pray is to open wide our relationship with God in order that truth may be revealed unto us. To study is to allow our mind to be engaged to the point that we come to settle upon truth. To live community is to is to remain connected to God through one another and the Church in order that we may be moved towards truth. Lastly, through ministry we take the truth that we have learned and bring it out into the world for others to encounter.
In Conclusion these words from the Catechism concerning the Holy Spirt: “The Spirit of truth, the other Paraclete, will be given by the Father in answer to Jesus' prayer; he will be sent by the Father in Jesus' name; and Jesus will send him from the Father's side, since he comes from the Father. The Holy Spirit will come and we shall know him; he will be with us for ever; he will remain with us. The Spirit will teach us everything, remind us of all that Christ said to us and bear witness to him. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth and will glorify Christ. He will prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment.”
