In our community, we see many people who give themselves generously in service to the Church. In the first reading Paul lists the qualities that must characterize men chosen to be presbyters or bishops in the local churches in his day. We might well expect many of these qualities to describe also the men and women who in many different ways aspire to serve the Church today. We might hope surely that they would be, “hospitable and lovers of goodness; steady, just, holy and self-controlled.” Above all, they must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that they might encourage others and refute those who oppose it.
In the Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples not to be those who cause others to sin. Applying this to ourselves, we must be alert and watch ourselves lest we engage in such activity. While we must not judge others, we still should not be blind when our brother sins. We are called to rebuke him. But more than that, we must be able to forgive him when he repents. To forgive others constantly, we must pray as the disciples did, “Increase our faith!” Then like the tiny mustard seed we might be able to accomplish what seemed to be impossible.