Readings:

Ez. 33:7-9; Ps. 95; Rm. 13:8-10; Matt. 18:15-20

Last week I spoke about the importance of the cardinal virtue of prudence, and the way in which exercising prudence helps us to make better decisions, but also the way in which prudence can help us discern the will of God. Prudence is essentially right reason applied to practice, or doing what is right because it is the right thing to do. Today, our readings all touch upon another cardinal virtue, which is fortitude. The virtue of fortitude, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, is that which enables one to overcome the fear of danger or toil. In other words, fortitude is a virtue like courage, that when practiced regularly, strengthens us to act according to reason rather than succumb to our passions or fear. A good example of exercising fortitude might be not giving in to anger. And in the moral order, a good example of fortitude is resisting temptation, not giving in to sin. That’s good for us, but what about when it’s someone else, someone we know, giving in to sin? What if that person is a member of our family? What if they are a member of the Church?

God makes it very clear to the prophet Ezekiel that when someone commits a sin, it is not only their fault, but also the prophet’s fault. Why? Because the prophet has a responsibility to correct the sinner. Perhaps the sinner’s conscience has not been properly formed; perhaps the sinner is unaware that what they are doing is sinful; perhaps the sinner lacks the fortitude to turn away from sin; perhaps the sinner needs to know that someone fears for their soul more than they do. Whatever the reason, the prophet who says nothing to correct the sinner is just as responsible for the person’s sin as they are.

What about us? We might say, “Wait a minute, I’m not a prophet, how can I be responsible for someone else’s sin?” Well, put simply, through Baptism we have all been recruited into the three-fold mission of Jesus, who is Priest, Prophet, and King. Therefore, we all participate in that mission of Jesus, part of which is a prophetic or teaching office. So, by virtue of our baptism, we are given the grace to carry out the prophetic mission of Christ, part of which involves teaching others the Gospel, and admonishing the sinner. That last bit, many might recall, is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy: to admonish the sinner; to express warning or disapproval in a gentle, earnest, or concerned manner. Concerned, because serious sin comes with a serious penalty; gentle, because the mercy of God is rooted in love.

St. Paul emphasizes the importance of love, saying, “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” What harm can we bring to anyone by loving them? St. Paul concludes, “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.”

But, how about putting this prophetic love into action. By prophetic love, I mean the kind that loves someone to the extent that they are willing to admonish the sinner. Jesus gives us a formula for just this kind of situation. In the Church, we call this a fraternal correction. It is a simple process of reaching out to someone who has sinned to try and set things right. Jesus tells us if someone sins against you to take that person aside and tell them what they did wrong. If they listen, then you have won them over; if they do not listen, then bring one or two witnesses to testify with you; if they still do not listen, then tell the church; if they refuse to listen even to the church, then treat them like a tax collector, or an outsider.

So, let’s explore this formula. Let us suppose we have a relative who is constantly using the Lord’s Name in vein. We all know that is a mortal sin against the Second Commandment, so there is no question that this is a serious kind of sin. But, you know our culture, the media, popular shows, all use the Lord’s Name in vein like it’s no big deal. Well, it is a very big deal. Just consider how you would feel if someone called your mother or father a bad word, then multiply that by infinity. That is what it is like using the Lord’s name in vein. So, we have a relative who does this regularly, we know it is not good for their soul, and what do we do? Well, Jesus says, first take them aside and have a little heart-to-heart with them. This is the brilliance of this maneuver. You do not attack them in front of everyone, you simply take them aside and explain lovingly that what they are doing is sinful. If they do not listen, then bring in the witnesses to reinforce that what they are doing is sinful. If not then, go to the Church. This is good because the Catholic Church has a rich tradition of moral and social teaching to help us, including Scripture, Catechisms, Canon Law, Popes Encyclicals, and the like. There is bound to be some material there to help us with our fraternal correction. The Church can give us counsel and advice, but most importantly the Church is a massive network of people who pray with and for one another.

Now, such a fraternal correction may be easy for some. We all have those friends who like to tell us how we are supposed to act. But, for most of us, it is not easy. That is why we need to rely on the virtue of fortitude. Remember, fortitude strengthens us to act according as reason dictates. And when we see someone living in sin, we have a moral responsibility as baptized members of the Church to admonish the sinner. If we follow what Jesus, St. Paul, and Ezekiel have given us today, we will always fulfill the Law, because even the toughest admonishment is an act of love for the neighbor. May the Eucharist we share today as brothers and sisters strengthen our love for one another and give us the fortitude to act according to the law of love, most especially for those closest to us.

Given during the COVID-19 pandemic.