Ok, you caught us, this month we didn't technically interview a parishioner, but Fr. Joe is a part of our larger Church community and he is not short on words to describe God's mercy and love.
Admonish the Sinner is a difficult topic to discuss and it's hard to find practical ways to practice this Work of Mercy. How do you tell someone that they are behaving sinfully without them getting angry or defensive? Fr. Pins gives us some great advice: to not sin ourselves. The best way to admonish the sinner is to first look at ourselves. When we look at admonishing the sin in our own lives we have a better understanding of how difficult it is to change a behavior, which leads to empathy and patience for others. Then we can speak more genuinely and compassionately with others about the struggle that they experience. And Pope Francis reminds us time and time again that we must be the face of Christ to others, the face of mercy.
As we move through lent, may God bless you as you look inward to overcome sin and through the power of Jesus Christ arise victorious!
Guest Blogger:
Emily Schmid
SPX Music Ministry Director &
Adult Faith Formation Coordinator
No comments:
Post a Comment