Today's readings all point to the same reality: truth cannot be separated from Christ. The bishops at Sardica carefully dismantle the false accusations against Athanasius, showing that lies may flourish for a time, but they cannot ultimately withstand honest investigation and faithful witnesses. Augustine then turns from the public battle for truth to the private battle of the heart, confessing that neither human effort, mystical experiences, nor angelic mediators can reconcile us to God. Only the God-man, Jesus Christ, truly bridges the gulf between sinful humanity and a holy God. Aquinas completes the picture by warning against two opposite failures in our relationships with others: flattery, which sacrifices truth for approval, and quarreling, which sacrifices peace for victory. The Christian path is neither cowardly silence nor combative prid ...