Twenty Sixth Sunday of the Year

Well, any gossip ?

When we read of a scandal involving a politician or celebrity, we are shocked and surprised. Tabloid journals delight in a scoop unveiling or revealing a celebrity's extra-marital affair, a politician's bribe or a banker's or businessman's shady deals. Papers' circulation and sales dictate what fills the papers and what makes the front page. The deadline must be met and the juicier the story the better. It is almost like being present at a forced confession to read of the foibles and sins of others. It makes for good copy - and such is the marketplace.

While we look at the faults and sins in others' lives it means that we can allow ourselves to justify or overlook our own. We can pride ourselves with the false security that somehow we are better moral persons who have not fallen so low. It distracts us for a while and even delays us from having a good hard look at ourselves as to where we might be in need of improvement or correction. In other words our own ongoing conversion is hampered.

The Lord puts before us today a choice of two states of life - either one of moral corruption or that of moral goodness involving generosity.

The Lord Jesus makes no bones about the awfulness of sin and the near occasions of sin.

We can too easily justify to ourselves our own sins. There are in fact two kinds of people ...those who behave according to their beliefs ....or those who believe their behaviour.

We need a wake up call from time to time. Sin is poison.

Would you wilfully give somebody poison to drink? Or would you take poison?

Poisonous substances are always harmful and sometimes fatal.

The problem with the poison of sin is that it is so alluring, attractive and consoling and sweet to the taste at first and causes tummy ache and a bitter aftertaste. If we had the hangover first we would never drink.

Sin then is like a bottle that is not clearly marked and we allow doubt to enter our moral decision making. If sin was not appealing then we would simply never sin, or sin a lot less. But sin, because it is forbidden fruit, or seemingly exciting, or risky, or gives a temporary thrill, even financially rewarding - so it is that many people fall for it including ourselves
'Pick your poison' as the saying goes.. .. 'One more drink, what is the harm in it?' More money, more pleasure, more material, more professional clout and salary, more spending power. Lust, greed, avarice, gluttony, sloth, a desire for revenge...spreading juicy gossip.

Sin, like some poisons causes us to be drowsy and is akin to  local anaesthetic whose temporary effect is to cause temporary numbness, but which will in time wear off.

Every one who wilfully violates their conscience and commits sin is a slave to sin, often repeating the same sin and thereby numbing the conscience more.

And of course it is possible to enslave others.  But every sin has a victim, beginning with the sinner and then the one sinned against.

Jesus uses harsh language today to alert us to the fact that with sin there are always victims. We poison others as well as ourselves.

Sometimes we have to reflect on the consequences of our actions. A good place to start is to recall those times when we were at the receiving end of a sin such as theft or a malicious rumour, having lies told about you, being accused in the wrong, being exploited, being enslaved.

Today's Gospel therefore is about taking and assuming personal responsibility for my own actions ..

And this is where we must be careful not to be enslaved ourselves ..
Someone one asked if you were to plot your own downfall how would you go about it?

Where is my weak spot? Gossip, pride, anger, impatience and losing my temper, cruelty in speech or action, malice, lack of forgiveness, lust, pornography or internet addiction, alcohol addiction, gambling debt, gluttony, overeating,  maybe others ...

In other words the eye or limb that causes me to sin could well be my TONGUE in my lies. gossip, duplicity or insincerity or back-stabbing, and lack of charity, it could be my EYES in lust and avarice, a compulsive uncontrolled need to have more of whatever I see that my neighbour has, my watching of inappropriate television or reading of harmful books or magazines ..my compulsions, addictions that gratify MY APPETITES.
My EARS twitching to hear the latest curiosity about the faults of others.. and wanting to have a good chin wag..but someone is always hurt.

I must act myself if what I say, what I engage in, what I watch on TV is morally uplifting or morally degrading.

We must know our weaknesses. We must practice the virtue of temperance and practice censorship on ourselves.

Jesus' harshest words today are for those who would corrupt the innocent ...whether through modern common examples of abuse, enslavement through pornography, drug use, or trafficking. The media have much to answer for in rationalising and normalising evil -making what is morally wrong appear to be morally praiseworthy.

 Regarding scandal am I a stumbling block for others causing their moral downfall or a stepping stone providing good moral example in what I say, in how I behave?

Am I turned in on myself or outside of myself?

The readings remind us that there is a reckoning with God, there is accountability, there is judgment..

To sum up...

We must practice the care, compassion and concern of Jesus for the most vulnerable members of society and by the same token we must practice care, compassion and concern for ourselves by taking cognisance of the weakest members of our own bodies, lest we fall into sin.

It is about caring for the vulnerable and about taking care about where we ourselves are vulnerable.

But Jesus is in our side every step of the way all the days of our lives if we ask his help in all humility . Let us ponder on our weakness and shared vulnerability - it might help us to turn with more confidence, more readily and more often, to the  Lord who wishes to be our strength.