One of the deepest fears people carry during discovery is this.
If I keep going, will I lose Jesus?
That fear makes sense. For many of us, Jesus was introduced to us through the Church. When trust in the institution begins to crack, it can feel as though Jesus himself is slipping away.
But discovery often reveals something important.
Jesus is not the same as the institution that claims his name.
Jesus Never Asked People to Ignore the Truth
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently chose truth over comfort.
He questioned religious authorities.
He challenged long held interpretations of the law.
He exposed hypocrisy, even when it made people uncomfortable.
Jesus did not protect systems that harmed people. He disrupted them.
If truth were a threat to Jesus, he would have avoided it. Instead, he walked directly toward it, even when it led to conflict, rejection, and eventually death.
Jesus Trusted People to Think and Discern
Jesus did not demand blind obedience.
He asked questions.
He invited reflection.
He told stories that required listeners to wrestle with meaning rather than memorize answers.
When people asked sincere questions, Jesus did not shame them. He engaged them.
Discovery is an act of discernment. Choosing to see clearly rather than look away aligns closely with the way Jesus lived and taught.
When Truth Threatens Power, Not Faith
Truth threatens power, not God.
When institutions resist truth, it is often because truth exposes control, hierarchy, or exclusion. Jesus consistently stood with
those harmed by such systems.
If discovery makes an institution uncomfortable, it does not mean it is unfaithful. It may mean it is honest.
Following Jesus with Open Eyes
Discovery does not ask you to walk away from Jesus.
It may ask you to separate Jesus from the stories built around him. It may ask whether certain teachings reflect his life and values or serve institutional preservation.
Many people find that once fear fades, Jesus feels more present, not less. More real. Less confined by rules and more alive in conscience and action.
Closing Reflection
If you are afraid that truth will cost you Jesus, pause here.
Jesus was never afraid of truth.
You do not need to choose between Jesus and discovery.
You may discover that Jesus is waiting for you on the other side of fear, not with condemnation, but with clarity.
Let truth do its work.
Jesus has always met people there.
About Deacon Margaret Mary O’Connor
Deacon Margaret Mary O’Connor, a former member of the Catholic laity, once believed she understood her Church and its teachings. Everything changed the day she uncovered a centuries old scandal of lies and institutional cover up surrounding the history of women in ordained ministry. Realizing that her own Church had hidden the truth about women priests, women deacons, and even women bishops, she felt a deep and unforgettable sense of betrayal.
That moment became the catalyst for her mission. Margaret Mary now travels what she calls the Highway of Radical Truth, exposing the layers of deception that have kept millions of Catholics unaware of the prominent roles women held in early Church history. Her work challenges long held assumptions, confronts the complicity of the hierarchy, and calls Catholics to learn the real history for themselves.
For Margaret Mary, every Catholic deserves the truth. She believes transparency is not optional, especially when the suppression of women’s vocations continues to harm the Church today. Her research shines a spotlight on hidden historical records that may even hold answers to the modern priest shortage.
Often described as a Modern Day David, Margaret Mary is relentless in her commitment to revealing what has been
intentionally concealed. Through her well researched writings, public advocacy, and ministry within the Celtic Christian Church, she brings these buried truths to light.
She is the author of Scandal in the Shadows and Journey of a Celiac’s Soul, and remains a force for honesty, courage, and reform within the broader Catholic conversation.
