Jesus makes it clear that the world is not an innocent place. There will be always evil at work that will frustrate the growth of the kingdom. And even In church communities there will be a mixture of good and bad. Christians should be scandalized but not surprised that sin can exist in the Church. How should is be dealt with? Sometimes immediate action needs to be taken to root out a poisonous cancer; there is no room for compromising with scandal. But there are other occasion when God’s forbearance must be recognized and in sense we are called to imitate it. Sometimes it may be wiser to wait and not judge too quickly. There are zealous people in every community who want to act now and root out what they see as sinners or their influence. But, as Jesus shows, both on an individual and community level we may do more harm than good by rushing in with hasty judgments. Better to wait, allowing for change and repentance. This is not a false tolerance of sin, but rather a situation that occur in families and in parish communities, and which needs patience. Jesus teaches us to have a deep faith that God is in control, and that God can bring good out of the most unpromising situations. In the end there will be a judgment and God will bring about justice.
St. John the Baptist PNCC
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