The Source of All Truth

Is Jesus of Nazareth the source of all truth?

In the Gospel According to Saint John there is a strong connection between Jesus and Truth. John explains the mission of John the Baptist was to witness that Jesus was “the true Light” (John 1:8-9). Saint John also says “. . . but life and truth came through Jesus Christ” (JST John 1:17). In John 14:6 Jesus declared, “ . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life. . .” It seems that for the seeker of truth, one of the best places to go for truth is to Jesus Christ.

The scriptures also teach that all things were created by Christ (John 1:3). So in a certain sense, all truth was part of the creation and once again there exists an unusually close association between Jesus and truth.

During Pontius Pilot’s questioning of Jesus he was told, “. . . and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:37-38) Yet, in the very next verse, Pilot muses “What is truth?” Pilot was literally staring in the face the most important source of truth, and listening to the voice of the most honest and trustworthy source imaginable, and missed seeing and hearing what he had.

So, one of the goals of this blog will be to explore how each of us can better see, hear, and understand what God has set in front of us.

We may not fully comprehend because we are seeing through a glass darkly. But we have a Light to help us see better. And, no doubt, the philosophies of men may fill our ears with error from time to time, or may cause us to dismiss or even condemn truth. But if we want to be "of the truth," then we must hear the voice of Jesus, the Word of God, who is of primary importance as a starting point and measuring stick for truth to lead us out of error. (1 Ne 11:25)

Saints, nuts, and boats

We made the greuling 4.5 minute flight from Molokai's main airport down to the their tiny airport on the Kalaupapa penninsula. Everyone else rode mules down so BJ said we were the jet setters. Kalaupapa is the place where the Catholic priest Father Damien de Veuster originally of Belgium worked with the people of Hawaii to better the conditions for people with leperosy. We learned that only a few former patients are still alive, and when they die the National Park Service will take over the penninsula. We got to see the church where they will bury Father Damien's ankle when they officially declare him a saint in about a week. The patients have been allowed to leave since 1969 but many decided to stay where they are cared for with food and an allowance.

We also visited the Purdy Macadamia Nut Farm and bought some. BJ loves them raw, I like mine roasted. The Macadamia Nut tree is originally from Queensland Australia. You can havest and eat the nuts at any stage of developement. But mostly they just rake up whatever falls on the ground. Nuts develope and can be harvested all year around.

This Saturday is the big canoe race from Molokai to Oahu. We went down a dirt road to get to Hale Lono Harbor where they are getting the canoes ready for the race. BJ didn't like the dirt road but we suvived.

In the evening we went to the 3 mile long beach with beautiful sand, Popohaku, and had it all to ourselves for a while. This morning we went to beaches north and south of that and viisted a restored sugar mill, smallest on the Hawaiian islands. Our hostess says today is the hottest day all year so far.

Slow down, its Molokai

This the most rural of Hawaiian Islands, at least the most rural of those that tourists are allowed to visit, and the local rush hour is three or four cars at the stop signs in the middle of town. The trade winds blow to cool us off in the afternoon and pile up gorgeous clouds over mountaintops of Molokai, Lanai, and Maui which we can see in the distance. Our room in near the top of the mountain on Molokai. We have gotten to look down on Kaluapapa the penninsula where the leper colony was from the lookout only about a mile from where we live. It turns out that Father Damien is being turned into an official Cathoic saint in about a week and a half. BJ has lots of great pictures. This morning we went to Halawa Valley, a VERY tropical (muggy) lush green valley with a huge waterfall. The natives are trying to rebuild a taro plantation there. Then we just relaxed in the evening either at the public library or on the beach. We've driven from the west and the Hawaiian Islands biggest beach, to the other end of the island at Halawa Valley, a total of 30 or so miles, and might have passed maybe ten cars coming the other direction. As we came in from the airport the driver asked if we had come to Molokai to relax. That sounded like a good enough reason to visit to me. So we are learning from the local T-shirt, slow down, its Molokai.