May 20, 2016
The Catholic Missourian
5
of
Jubilee Mercy
ADMONISH THE SINNER
Each month of this Jubilee Year of Mercy, The Catholic Missourian will feature stories, reflections, articles, etc. focusing on a
particular Work of Mercy. This month, the Spiritual Work of Mercy “Admonish the Sinner” is the feature.
A
s Christians, we have the duty to announce Good News but also to denounce sin, injustice and evil. Keeping silent leads us to the
sin of omission—the things we could have done or the words we could have said but didn’t. We have the moral duty to offer
fraternal correction to our brothers and sisters. Saying and hearing the truth can be hurtful at times. However, we should not
be afraid to speak the truth and correct others when they do wrong. By taking a stand, we may save them from greater catastrophes.
An Unpopular Mercy
By Susie Lloyd
Some spiritual works of mercy are more popular
than others. “Comfort the Sorrowful” and “Counsel
the Doubtful,” for example, have their own line of
greeting cards with flowers and small, fuzzy animals
on them. People buy them by the millions. But then
there’s “Admonish the Sinner.” Has anybody bothered testing the market for this one?
You live in sin
Like Ann Boleyn I’ve heard you’re drinking Bathtub gin
The problem with this work of mercy is that
nobody wants it. Feed me, give me a drink, lend
me that extra coat. But who are you to go and tell
me I’m wrong?
Why does God make us weaklings do this job?
Doesn’t He know the trouble He’s causing? On the
receiving end, you have people like Herod. They
totally need the message but are likely to serve your
head on a platter if you dare. On the giving end, you
have people like the Pharisees, who don’t want to fix
you so much as destroy you.
Why entrust this to us? Wouldn’t it be safer to
just rain fire and brimstone?
Luckily, He did leave us with a rule that helps
us know the right way and the wrong way to issue
fraternal correction. It is called The Golden Rule. We
treat the person as we would wish to be treated.
Note: Most of us do not wish to be treated as we
rightfully deserve. By anyone. Be he a fellow sinner
or God Himself. God knows that. There are prayers
in the Mass to that effect: “Do
not consider what we truly
deserve BUT…” How much
more should we sinners
show mercy when we
are guilty ourselves?
Besides, it’s the
only way that really
works. I know. I’ve
experienced both.
Many years ago,
I met a lady with 11
kids. Since I had five
at the time, I thought
it perfectly safe to joke,
“You’re done right?” Joke!
I had no intention of prying
or denying the sovereignty of
Have mercy on me,
O God, according to Thy steadfast love;
according to Thy abundant mercy blot out my
transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence,
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
what God intended. When
judge.
she got all flustered trying
Even under the best
to think of a response, I
conditions, Admonish
knew something had gone
the Sinner doesn’t stand
wrong.
much of a chance. It’s a
The letter came about
bitter pill that even St.
two weeks later. From the
Therese had a hard time
looks of it, she had spent
swallowing. If ego overides
those two weeks kneeling
charity and respect, it is
in church, praying for disguaranteed not to work.
cernment and asking God
The message will be lost.
to let this cup pass away
I know. I’ve blown it, too.
from her. Three pages of
Sometimes I lie awake at
perfect humility.
night reliving the various ways and wonder if God is
An entire page was dedicated to my family’s
really omnipotent enough to bring good out of it.
loveliness. There was a brief mention of an enclosure
Even when you admonish with charity and
about healthy eating which seemed random but was respect and smiley faces, most people are just not
actually the set up for it: “We all need to stay healthy going to clasp your hands and tearfully thank you for
because we never know how many children God
saving them from the abyss. No. It’s more likely that
will send us.” The smiley face at the end clinched it.
they’ll put their hands around your neck and attempt
Translation: “I’ve just told you something I am afraid
to choke you. That’s where another unpopular spiriwill hurt your feelings. Please don’t be mad! I think
tual work of mercy comes in: Bear Wrongs Patiently.
you’re really nice!” Yup. I had just gotten corrected.
(Again, don’t look at me. Picture instead St. Therese.
Then there was the other memorable time for
Or your dog.)
which I am still considering the option of electroAt least if your words fail, your humility might
shock therapy. I had written an article called “Mass
succeed. Not that day. Not that month. Not that
Cops” about being confronted by an unknown
year. Long, long after the sting of correction is gone,
woman at Mass about my noisy 2-year-old son’s
it might bear fruit. Even Herod regretted that platter
behavior.
incident.
The letter came about two weeks later. From the
looks of it, she spent those two weeks arranging dry
www.susielloyd.com
twigs around a wooden stake until it was just so.
Susie Lloyd is a Catholic author and blogger.
Three pages of utter vitriol.
Permission to reprint this article was granted by the
An entire page was dedicated to the concepts of
author.
“airhead” (me) and “brat” (my child). The clincher
was a sincere prayer that I’d see the
light. Translation: “May you not go to
hell as you deserve, just to the torScripture:
ments of purgatory until the end of
Ezekiel 3:20; 1 Kings 4:1-18; Matthew 18:15-18; James 5:19-20
time.” Yup. I had just gotten corrected… or perhaps trampled to death.
Articles:
What is the difference between
“Admonish the Sinner: The Third Spiritual Work of Mercy,” by Fr.
the two letters? The first came from
Andrew Apostoli, CFR, www.catholicculture.org
a person who dreaded the job. The
“Admonish
the Sinner,” by Mark Shea, www.catholicity.com
second got clear satisfaction from it.
“Admonish
the
Sinner: Pope Francis and the Third Spiritual Work of
The first recognized that Admonish
Mercy,”
by
Philip Kosloski, www.ncregister.com
the Sinner is difficult but is a work
“Judge
Not...,”
www.catholicbible101.com
of mercy. The second acted as if it is
“Putting Mercy to Work: Admonishing the Sinner,” podcast on
not a work of mercy but a work of
Vatican Radio
justice, and that the sender is the
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