The practice of fraternal correction, encouraging and admonishing those around us when they fall into sin, is a harrowing experience. This Christian duty has often been neglected and even disparaged in our individualist culture where we risk being told to ‘mind our own business’.
But Christians have always recognized that our brother’s sin is our business because sin is an offense not only against God, but also the Church. We are affected by the sins of those around us and cannot turn a blind eye when they put their soul in jeopardy.
Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the need for fraternal correction among Christians in a brief address after praying the Angelus, an ancient Christian prayer, on Sunday. Love of our fellow man “involves a feeling of mutual responsibility,” he insisted, saying this can require us “to help him understand that what he has done is wrong.”
“If a brother sins, we do not cease to love him by inviting him to return to the straight path,” the Pope added.
Among the Sunday readings that the Pope was reflecting on was a particularly jarring passage from Ezekiel that should fill any devout Christian with fear and trembling and prompt a careful examination of conscience:
So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life. (Ezekiel 33:7-9)