Jn 14:15-21-May 10 26 "Truth: The Raw Foundation of Divine Love"

As Jesus introduces the spirit of Truth as part of our relationship with God. Truth is absolutely foundational for spiritual growth, not just an optional “nice‑to‑have” accessory. In Christian teaching, truth is what God uses to convert and set people free. Spiritual growth therefore depends on a willingness to hear teaching, examine one’s life, and reject self‑deception, which is why “hunger for truth” is listed as an indicator of genuine spiritual growth alongside love and hatred of sin. With these elements spiritual growth happens; without it, our growth becomes shallow, fragile, or even counterfeit. 

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Jn 14:15-21-May 10 26

Hello, and a warm welcome to my regular listeners and those joining us for the first time—thank you for being here!

I am Peter Doherty, a Catholic priest and psychologist passionate about the deep connection between psychology and spirituality. For too long, these fields have viewed each other with suspicion. That's ironic, isn't it? Here's the truth, Healthy psychology strengthens our spirituality, and true spirituality—rooted in solid psychological health—offers profound meaning and resilience in our lives.

In this short podcast, I explore the Gospel reading for the coming week. It's a resource for preachers preparing homilies, as well as anyone teaching or studying Scripture. I encourage my listeners who want more to listen to earlier podcasts.  I draw from psychology articles, Scripture scholarship, and anthropological insights to make the Gospel relatable.

I see the Scriptures as guides for faith and spirituality. Biblical writers viewed history differently from modern historians.  The Bible is more than just another history book; the texts are richly layered— addressing spirituality, identity and faith.  There's always more wisdom to uncover.

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In the Gospel that will be announced on May 10, 2026, Jesus reminds his disciples that their love for him will be expressed in how well they follow his teachings.  This is not surprising that love would be expressed in actions.  We do act differently to those we love and to those we do not know.  Jesus is underling an important aspect of his teachings.  Our faith in God must change how we relate to one another.  This theme of caring for others as a part of how we show our love for God weaves throughout the Gospels.  In Matthew 25:31–46, it is written “Then the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.”  In Matthew 25:45 it is written “Truly I tell you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”. Our faith is not just a head thing but impacts who we are.  It is worth being reminded that we express our faith in our relationships with other people.

Gary Chapman, marriage counsellor and Baptist minister, wrote in his book, The 5 Love Languages, talks about the way we express our love in our significant relationships.  I would go as far as to say that we all have our own unique way of expressing our love for God.

Jesus continues and introduces the spirit of Truth as part of our relationship with God. Truth is absolutely foundational for spiritual growth, not just an optional “nice‑to‑have.” In Christian teaching, truth is what God uses to convert, and set people free; Spiritual growth therefore depends on a willingness to hear teaching, examine one’s life, and reject self‑deception, which is why “hunger for truth” is listed as an indicator of genuine spiritual growth alongside love and hatred of sin. 

Without honest self‑assessment and accurate perception of reality, growth tends to be superficial, misdirected, or stalled.  Truth can be elusive, Pilate then famously replies, “What is truth?”  Truth can be difficult to recognize and accept.  Sigmund Freud was the first to introduce the idea of defence mechanism. We have defence mechanisms that help us hide from the truth and to deal with the resulting anxiety.  Have you ever tried to help someone by pointing out where they could do better only to have them become defensive or deny the obvious?  Initially defence mechanism can help us on the short term deal the anxiety but on the long term they deny the truth, a truth we need to address.  Have you ever had a friend complain to you about their spouse or partner and as you listen to them you can understand their partner’s point of view?  How is it that your friend does not see what you see?  It can be frustrating.

Truth is so important in our lives.  Awareness of truth is critical for forgiveness and true reconciliation. In John 8:32. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Truth is an important part of addiction treatment they have adapted the phrase “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable”.  There is no clear author of this adapted passage, but it does remind us that truth can be a challenge, and I suspect that is at least part of the reason why people have trouble with truth.

Jesus, knowing full well how people can hide form the truth tells the people that the Spirit of Truth will help them.  It also suggests that living truth in our lives will be possible with the Spirit’s presence in our lives.  The first thing is to recognize that striving for truth in our lives will enrich us psychotically and spiritually.  Recognizing our truth may mean dropping our self concept.  Conditional love will make this difficult.  It’s only by having unconditional love for our selves and God’s creation that we will be able to embrace our strengths and weaknesses and then will truth becomes possible.

It has probably become obvious that Jesus is talking about a faith that is developing.  Like all aspects of ourselves, we are a work in progress.  This Gospel speaks of a mature faith, something to strive for.  There are many models of how our spiritual life develops.  I have used Fowlers Stages of Spiritual growth in earlier podcasts.  Today I am introducing Scott Peck’s model.

M. Scott Peck introduced his four-stage model of spiritual development in his 1987 book, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace. His approach outlines how individuals evolve from egocentric self-interest toward a more integrated, mystical understanding of existence.  Let’s take a deeper look at his Four Stages of Spiritual development.

Stage I is the Chaotic-Antisocial Stage.  Individuals in this stage are primarily egocentric and driven by personal desires. They often lack a strong internal moral compass, appearing manipulative or self-serving in their interactions with others.

Stage II is known as the Formal-Institutional Stage.  This stage is characterized by a reliance on external authority, such as religious institutions, traditions, or scriptures, to provide a sense of order and purpose. Individuals view the world through clear-cut boundaries of right and wrong, often adhering to rules out of a need for security rather than awareness of the purpose of the rules. 

Stage III, Skeptic-Individual Stage describes individual who begin to question the established dogmas and external authorities of their previous stage. They prioritize personal experience, scientific observation, and critical thinking over blind faith, often rejecting traditional religious structures in the process.

Stage IV the Mystic-Communal Stage is the final stage is marked by an appreciation for the mystery and beauty of existence. Individuals at this stage move beyond rigid dogma or scepticism to embrace a sense of unity, unconditional love, and compassion for all, often losing their attachment to the ego.  It seems to me that the Gospel we heard today is directing us to this stage.

Thank you for joining me!

Next Sunday, May 17, 2026, we will be reflecting on Mt 28.16-20  where the disciples experience one of the last appearances.  Jesus reminds them about what they have been taught and sends them out to the mission with the promise that he will be with them throughout it all. 

New episodes release every Sunday for the next week's Gospel. Big thanks to Heather Patel Doherty and Richard Coulombe for their wonderful help.