One Sunday, a priest told his congregation, “Next week I’ll be preaching about the sin of lying. To prepare, please read Mark’s Gospel, Chapter 17.”

The following Sunday, he asked, “How many of you read Mark 17?” Most of the hands went up. The priest smiled. “Mark only has sixteen chapters. Now, let’s talk about lying!”

We laugh. But perhaps the joke isn’t so funny anymore. Consider the political campaigns leading up to yesterday’s election. How many lies, half-truths, misleading advertisements, distorted quotations, and deliberate exaggerations have we Americans endured?

Candidates attacked their opponents. Political advertisements twisted words. Social media spreaded accusations before anyone checked whether they’re true.

And 12 Billion dollars was spent persuading us to believe things that may never happen.

Even more troubling, many of us excuse dishonesty when it comes from someone in our own political party.

When did winning become more important than telling the truth?

In my 57 years as a priest, I’ve learned something about lying. Imagine a husband telling his wife, “I was working late,” when he was actually out with a “friend.” The evening itself might have been harmless. But when his wife discovers the lie, something precious has been damaged.

TRUST.

And rebuilding trust is much harder than telling the truth in the first place.

The same thing happens in politics. When leaders repeatedly deceive us, how can we believe them when the truth really matters?

Jesus said, “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’”

The Eighth Commandment tells us, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

God didn’t add, “Unless you’re running for office!”

Truthfulness isn’t a Republican virtue or a Democratic virtue. It’s a Christian virtue.

We have a responsibility to question what we hear, verify what we share, and refuse to excuse deliberate deception. Because lies don’t simply damage political opponents. They destroy trust, divide communities, and weaken our democracy. That is what has just happened in America.

Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” America needs fewer political slogans and more people willing to live those words.

The most important question after Tuesday’s election isn’t whether your candidate won.

It’s whether truth lost.

By Medard Laz

Do YOU agree that the most important question after Tuesday’s election isn’t whether your candidate won. It’s whether truth lost.

YOUR LIFE IS SUCH A SHORT JOURNEY IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE WITH JESUS FOREVER!