Fr. Ferdinando Colombo: Admonishing Sinners
How will you be able to say to your brother: let me take the mote out of your eye, while in your eye is the beam? (Mt 7:4)
Admonishing sinners, a most delicate action that requires much humility and much love so that it does not turn into an unacceptable act of meddling in the lives of others.
Admonishing sinners should be done as when we clothe a poor person because we see him in his nakedness and have true compassion for him. Then we clothe him in the Name of Christ, with love, without asking him why he was naked — that question is up to God as when he asked Adam, “and who told you that you were naked?” When Adam committed the first sin he first realized he was naked.
God asked him, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard your footsteps in the garden: I was afraid, for I am naked, and I hid myself.” He resumed, “Who let you know that you were naked? … “ (Gen.3:1-22). To admonish the sinner is to warn him of the sins he commits and thus of his being naked. (Lucetta Scaraffia)
“Sinners” and ‘admonish,’ are two words that are hard on our ears. Pope Francis often says he is a sinner. All of us are sinners. But so many men of our time do not agree with this statement, they do not consider themselves sinners, but rather righteous, with some small “human” flaw.
Sin as a private thing
The sense of sin has disappeared in many hearts. This is a logical consequence of the disappearance of the sense of God. Pius XII already said in the 1950s that “the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin”. What would he say today?
Another problem is added: today everything that concerns God, religion and sin is considered a “private thing” and entering this sphere is seen as an interference in the private sphere of another, as not respecting his conscience and his freedom.
This would be contrary to the necessary tolerance and peace and therefore antisocial behavior. But this position is unacceptable, because it reduces religion to a “private thing”, while in reality it concerns all of life, our relationship with God, with others, with the world, with ourselves.
It is important, therefore, to awaken consciences, speaking about God and his truth and calling by name the serious sins that destroy human beings, families and society: superstition, idolatry, blasphemy, hatred, abortion, adultery, divorce, fraud tax, gambling, slander, etc. Trying, gently, to make people who commit such sins understand that they do not follow the path of life is not an offense towards them, but – on the contrary – it is a true work of mercy.
Recognizing the evil of one’s sin
Recognizing the evil of one’s sin is the first condition so that, with the help of divine mercy, a person can leave the path that leads to death, so that he can heal and find life again. St. James writes, “My brothers, if one of you strays from the truth and another leads him back to it, let him know that he who leads a sinner back from his path of error will save him from death” (Jas. 5:19f.). We could be “spiritual doctors” for one another. (Hermann Geissler F.S.O.)
Mercy is the way God-Trinity relates to the sinner. The moment evil, sin has entered a person’s life God’s behavior is to intensify His love for that person. God’s goal is to “make right” the person who has done evil: to free him from evil, to put him back in “right relationship” with himself, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
“I do not want the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live.” God’s Intervention is “a more of love,” a more intense investment of free love, in the hope that the sinner will realize that he is loved and return to Him.
“I don’t want the sinner to die, but for him to convert and live.” God’s Intervention is “more love”, a more intense investment of free love, in the hope that the sinner realizes that he is loved and returns to Him.
The justice of God-Trinity-Mercy desires that the sinner, welcoming His free Love, returns to Him; this is conversion for love.
It helps him to recognize his sin and decide to abandon it because sin destroys His plan of love which gives meaning to every person’s life.
Thus God-Trinity-Mercy resumes his dialogue of love so that the person “can live”.
This sequence can be defined as a “super gift”, forgiveness. This is Mercy.
God’s action is not to erase sin, to forget sins, but is aimed at the person of the sinner: a reconstructive intervention.
The God-Trinity-Mercy JUSTIFIES, makes us just, that is, capable of returning to dialogue with Him. The summit of Mercy is this Justice of God: creative, reparative, justifying, which gives man back his dignity as “son of God” . (F.C.)
«… it is necessary to recognize that we are sinners, to strengthen in us the certainty of divine mercy. “Lord, I am a sinner; Lord, I am a sinner: come with your mercy.” This is a beautiful prayer. It’s an easy prayer to say every day: “Lord, I am a sinner; Lord, I am a sinner: come with your mercy'”. (Pope Francis)
Prayer for the conversion of sinners
Jesus told Sister M. Faustina Kowalska, “Prayer for the conversion of sinners is most pleasing to Me. I always grant it.”
Jesus, eternal truth and our life,
like a beggar I implore your Mercy for sinners.
Sweetest Heart of my Lord full of compassion and mercy, I beseech Thee for them.
O Heart, source of Mercy,
from which gush forth upon all mankind incomparable rays of grace, I ask from you light for those who are in sin.
Jesus, remember your bitter passion
And do not allow to be lost
souls ransomed so dearly by thy blood.
O Jesus, when I meditate on the great value of your blood, I rejoice in such greatness
for although sin is an abyss of ingratitude and wickedness, yet the price that was paid for it
Is infinitely greater than sin.
An immense joy is kindled in my heart by admiring this inconceivable goodness of yours.
O my Jesus, I desire to bring all sinners to your feet, that they may glorify your Mercy which is infinite. Amen
Online version of the book by clicking on “The Work of Mercy – Fr. Ferdinando Colombo – browsable”
Photo
- “Le Opere di Misericordia“, fr. Ferdinando Colombo
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