In today's section from St. Paul he uses the metaphor of the human maturation process to describe the journey to "living the truth in love" which all Christians should do. It is what marks the adult, and separates the adult from the infant.
The infant is "tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming."
As Catholics we believe that the teaching of the Church is true. In particular, we believe that the part of Church teaching called the Deposit of Faith was revealed by God. We are called to proclaim that truth in our words and actions. We must live that truth. The hardest part sometimes is that as St. Paul tells us we must live truth in love (agape).
Looking around it seems that lots of us are behaving like infants, allowing ourselves to be tossed by the waves, and swept around by the wind. And even among those who are trying to live the truth of the faith, very few seem to be living it in love.
We show our true Christianity not in how we treat our friends but in how we behave towards those with whom we disagree. Right now we have an incredible opportunity to witness to the power of God's grace at work in us. Surrounded by acrimony and without surrendering one iota of our faith, each has the opportunity to be an example by living the truth in love. It will not be easy but we can do it.
