Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)
Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. (Luke 17:1)
Have you ever noticed how closely many children watch adults? They are always absorbing and learning from what they see—the bad and the good. It’s reminiscent of the phrase “Children learn what they live.” They learn to do what they see their parents doing and not necessarily what their parents tell them to do.
It’s not just children either. We all know how hard it is to avoid joining in gossip when we hear it, or how tempting it can be to chime in with hurtful comments on social media.
This is why Jesus warns us about leading other people to sin through our example. People watch us. Our witness matters. Just one negative example from us may be all someone needs to justify his or her own sin. But if a bad example has a powerful effect, imagine how much more powerful a good example can be!
The important issue, then, is not just that we avoid behaviors that could cause people to sin. It is also that we become good examples who help inspire people to holiness. Isn’t this what Jesus did? His prayer life was so attractive that his disciples asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). When he drove the money changers out of the Temple, the people were “hanging on his words” (19:48). And when he refused to condemn a woman caught in adultery, her accusers walked away “one by one,” humbled by their own sins (John 8:9).
St. Paul once wrote, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). That’s your goal as well. When you imitate Jesus, your example will whet people’s appetite for God. They will see a reflection of Christ in your actions and your demeanor, and it will move them to seek the Lord for themselves. When you set aside time to pray in the morning, your faithfulness will inspire other family members. When you let a negative comment slide off your back, your peace will make your coworker take notice. When you reach out to someone who is hurting, your compassion will melt that person’s heart.
How can you imitate Jesus today? Simply by living in love.
“Lord, make me like you so that other people can see you in me.”
Titus 1:1-9
Psalm 24:1-6
Pope Francis
General Audience of 29/05/2013
Increase our faith in the Church
Today I would like to begin some catecheses on the mystery of the Church, a mystery which we all experience and of which we are part. I would like to do so with some concepts that are evident in the texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Today the first catechesis is: “The Church as the family of God”... The very word “Church”, from the Greek ekklesia, means “convocation”: God convokes us, he impels us to come out of our individualism, from our tendency to close ourselves into ourselves, and he calls us to belong to his family...
Still today some say: “Christ yes, the Church no”. Like those who say “I believe in God but not in priests”. But it is the Church herself which brings Christ to us and which brings us to God. The Church is the great family of God’s children. Of course, she also has human aspects. In those who make up the Church, pastors and faithful, there are shortcomings, imperfections and sins. The Pope has these too — and many of them; but what is beautiful is that when we realize we are sinners we encounter the mercy of God who always forgives. Never forget it: God always pardons and receives us into his love of forgiveness and mercy. Some people say that sin is an offence to God, but also an opportunity to humble oneself so as to realize that there is something else more beautiful: God’s mercy. Let us think about this.
Let us ask ourselves today: how much do I love the Church? Do I pray for her? Do I feel part of the family of the Church? What do I do to ensure that she is a community in which each one feels welcome and understood, feels the mercy and love of God who renews life? Faith is a gift and an act which concern us personally, but God calls us to live with our faith together, as a family, as Church.