DAVID BELLUSCI
  • Home
    • About Father Bellusci
    • Contact
  • TALKS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • ARTICLES
    • Homilies
    • Blogs
    • Catholic Pilgrim >
      • Photos
    • Book Reviews
  • FRASSATI
    • Reflections
  • Books
    • Pier Giorgio Frassati Truth, Love and Sacrifice
    • Age of Innocence
    • Roman Incense
    • Love Deformed, Love Transformed
    • Ontology Of Blue
    • Amor Dei in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
    • Beating The Drums
    • Readers Review
  • Sexuality
    • Humanae Vitae
    • Theology of the Body >
      • Introduction
      • Lessons 1-9
    • GENDER IDEOLOGY
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Andrzej Skulski
    • Br. Gavin Rodrigues, O.P.
    • Lara Paniagua

Spread the good news

John 20: 11-18
"But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.' Jesus said, 'Mary!' She turned round then and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' -- which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her." 

Challenged-Corrected-Cleansed

5/9/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
If we think of our childhood prohibitions that we deliberately violated we will find, “Don’t tell me what to do!”
​

​I remember one incident when I was six-years-old when my father was at work. My mother had an appointment in the afternoon, and she specifically told me to stay home. As soon as she left, I went to see a friend of mine so we could go fishing; neither my mother nor my father would know. Well, as I watched him cast his net into the water, I made the mistake of standing a few meters behind him: the fishing hook landed in my arm where it got stuck. I was brought to emergency to remove the hook; what was supposed to be an “unknown” fishing trip my parents found out about. I still remember the event as a punishment from God for disobedience. It was so very clear. Disobey, and you will be punished.

I mention childhood disobedience because deviant behaviour is not only learned. It’s already a capacity within us. We are morally formed by six-years old, to say, “Yes, I will.” Or, “No, I no I won’t.” This is why a child at six-years-old is prepared for the Sacrament of Confession. So, why does a child or adult disobey? From childhood we make choices based on what we think is best. Underlying, of course, “You don’t need to tell me,” and “I know what is best,” there is pride. We can see this pride already present in the child whose first word of negation “No!” -- to refuse to listen. The first man and woman refused to listen to God, their loving Creator (Genesis 3:1-6). We are born with original sin, cleansed of original sin at baptism, but the affects of original sin remain throughout our life.

Ezekiel 33 teaches about the responsibility of “correction.” Something we find difficult today knowing the reaction we can expect: “Don’t tell me what to do…” We find two common social reasons for not correcting others: 1. Who am I to tell someone else what is right and wrong (implying what to do)? 2. It’s really none of my business (meaning I shouldn’t get involved); and two psychological reasons: 1. we want to be affirming and supportive; 2. we want to create positive thinking. The psychological motives stem from the “I’m OK, you’re OK” psychology of the 1970s that has been a moral disaster: everything is OK. We are reaping the errors today of this moral relativism. But Ezekiel makes it clear: we have a responsibility to correct others, “…if you warn the wicked person to turn from their ways.” Yes, Ezekiel is a prophet and at baptism we are also baptised into the prophetic ministry of Christ. Correct actions presuppose someone teaches what is right and wrong which is the role of parents, and the Church community. Teaching/instilling values has also been traditionally the role of Catholic schools and educators. But today with social pressure and government ideologies Catholic valuesare being increasingly challenged.
In St. Matthew 18, Jesus teaches us how to respond to someone someone who sins against us. Jesus does not say that we should immediately make known someone who has sinned against us. This happens when people gossip about someone’s wrongdoings, misbehaviour, and wicked acts; people derive morose gratification hearing and talking about the sins of others, and even like to know misdeeds in detail -- what has now become social “shaming” or political smear campaigns. Jesus wants us to go to the person so we can help the person by addressing their faults, or be prepared to listen when someone wants to address our faults.

​When people are hurt because of someone having sinned against them, often the inclination is to talk about it to a third party: issues concerning spouses, children, parents, friends. But feeling hurt and needing to talk to a third party -- unless there is the objective of seeking advice/council -- how does the this help to resolve the issue at hand -- the fault that has been caused and needs to be addressed? Jesus does allow for this “third party” discussion, but the person who is at fault also needs to be present. Jesus wants us to understand that a person who refuses to acknowledge that they have erred needs to be corrected. Addressing faults is another way of teaching a person truth, so as not to repeat the same errors. This is fundamental to our salvation: we cannot remain in our sins; we cannot walk in darkness.
 
Jesus’ words, “You have regained your brother or sister” does not simply mean your relationship is restored; but, the person is “regained” as a fellow Christian. This is why correcting others is part of their salvation, and our salvation when we are corrected, “and if that person refuses to listen even to the Church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile...” These powerful words of Jesus regard the person not in full membership with the community when their sin is not corrected. In Catholicism this is the reason why not everyone can receive Holy Communion -- or should not be receiving Holy Communion: they have separated themselves from the community due to their sins which need to be acknowledged through Confession. A person who is corrected will strive to make concrete changes in their life in conformity to the teachings of Jesus. Their fault is admitted through the Sacrament of Confession, then, the person may receive Communion: “You have regained your brother or your sister.”
 
Correction is part of the Christian journey; this is how we grow. We may not like it, but that is the pride we need to be purified of. By owning up to our sins we confess them. Correction is medicinal; it helps strengthen us spiritually. The Church gives us extraordinary models we find in the lives of the Saints, of Our Blessed Mother, and the saving power of Jesus, Himself, that He offers us on the Cross, at Confession and in the Holy Eucharist.
​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Fr. David Bellusci, O.P.
    is a Roman Catholic Priest, and Assistant Professor 
    of Philosophy and Theology at Catholic Pacific College in Langley, B.C.

    List by Titles




    Who are the people on your list?
    The Language that Builds
    The Joy in the midst of Uncertainty
    Angels and Stars
    On Silence
    New Circumcision
    Here I am
    ​Remember me in Paradise
    Authority Christ Entrusts to Peter
    Sacrificing Isaac
    Us And Them
    ​Joy of Boasting in the Cross
    ​
    The 12 Apostles

    Are you saved?
    ​Follow Christ: obey the Commandments...
    ​Joy of Holiness
    ​Seeing Beyond Addiction
    Who is My God?

    Are we too secure, too comfortable to think about God and the poor?
    ​Faith and Pride
    ​Fighting the Enemy: Satan
    ​Time for Conversion
    What are your Weapons?
    ​​Presentation of the Lord - Day of Consecrated Life
    Love--it's not about me
    ​Word of God - preserved and transmitted
    Time to Move On!
    ​Gaudete Sunday
    ​Ressurection in Crist
    Observers and Participants
    ​
    Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia
    ​Jesus, I love You
    Moved by the Spirit
    Going to Heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit

    ​Immaculate Heart of Mary
    Who Is Your Treasure
    What is Your Fear
    "Blessed Are You Among
    Women": Mary Taken Up to Heaven
    ​The One with the Keys
    Challenged-Corrected-Cleansed
    ​O
    ur-Lady-of-Victory Our-Lady-of-the-Rosary
    All Saints! All Souls! Our Prayers!
    A Capable Woman

    Removing the Clutter
    ​Does the Birth of Christ change our lives?
    Transformed by the Resurrection

    ​St. Joseph: Terror of Demons
    ​
    Is Jesus Lord of your life?
    Do you need a Saviour?
    ​



     
    ​​

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    All Saints
    All Souls
    Battle Of Lepanto
    Catholic League
    Catholic Schools
    Chastity
    Christmas
    Church
    Cleansing
    Community
    Confession
    Conversion
    Corpus Christi
    Correction
    Cross
    Divine Mercy
    Dominicans
    Easter
    End Times
    Eternal Law
    Everlasting Life
    Ezekiel 33
    Falsehood
    Fear
    First Nations
    Gossip
    Holiness
    Holy Trinity
    Homilies
    Humility
    Immaculate Conception
    Immaculate Heart
    Jesus
    Mary
    Matthew 18
    Morality
    Natural Law
    Original Sin
    Our Lady Of Rosary
    Papacy
    Pentecost
    Pornography
    Pride
    Purification
    Purity
    Reconciliation
    Repentance
    Residential Schools
    Resurrection
    Rosary
    Saint Joseph
    Salvation
    Saviour
    St
    St. John The Baptist
    St. Pope Pius V
    Terror Of Demons
    Transformation
    Virtue
    Vocation
    Wife
    Wisdom

    RSS Feed

Contact
Books
Frassati

    Get the latest from Fr. Bellusci delivered to your inbox:

Join our email list
© David Bellusci
  • Home
    • About Father Bellusci
    • Contact
  • TALKS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • ARTICLES
    • Homilies
    • Blogs
    • Catholic Pilgrim >
      • Photos
    • Book Reviews
  • FRASSATI
    • Reflections
  • Books
    • Pier Giorgio Frassati Truth, Love and Sacrifice
    • Age of Innocence
    • Roman Incense
    • Love Deformed, Love Transformed
    • Ontology Of Blue
    • Amor Dei in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
    • Beating The Drums
    • Readers Review
  • Sexuality
    • Humanae Vitae
    • Theology of the Body >
      • Introduction
      • Lessons 1-9
    • GENDER IDEOLOGY
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Andrzej Skulski
    • Br. Gavin Rodrigues, O.P.
    • Lara Paniagua