Sep 6 Sun
Must I do fraternal correction?
Moses and the prophets were the moral teachers of the Chosen People. The legitimate pastors of the Church are the Pope and the bishops united to him and those pastors under their authority.
Neither the human race nor the Church is just a collection of individuals, like beans in a bag. We are a flock, a people. Besides, since we are social beings, we should be united in loving God who has created us and made us neighbors and even brothers of each other, especially among the household of the Church.
Out of destructive pride, we can also harden our hearts against instruction or correction.
Those in authority in the Church—the hierarchy—have the right and the duty to correct members of the faithful who stray. They can even excommunicate members who seriously deny Catholic faith or morals.
We ordinary lay members of the faithful also can prudently correct others. This is called fraternal correction. It is the spiritual work of mercy of admonishing the sinner.
To avoid being a busybody, the person correcting should be someone we have some business talking to, for example, a member of the family, a person we work with, or a friend.
Something we get wrong when it comes to another person’s fault is to gossip about this person’s fault to a third party rather than talking to that person directly.
Fraternal correction is a loving “heads up” given by one Christian to his neighbor to help him become holy. The matter of correction could be a sin (mortal or venial) or even a fault that is harming that neighbor or those he comes in contact with.
Some obstacles to fraternal correction are:
- We don’t bother thinking and praying about others.
- We don’t take into account the need and value of admonishing the sinner.
- We are afraid of upsetting the other.
- We feel we are unworthy to correct the other either because of the other person’s good qualities or because we may have the same fault ourselves.
- We tell ourselves it won’t do any good.
Humility is necessary because we are sinners ourselves and fail in many ways. We could just as easily have the same fault, and we certainly have other imperfections. Nevertheless, God wants us to help each other.
It is also necessary to be considerate, that is, to say what we have to say in the least hurtful way possible but without beating around the bush. It is so easy to humiliate another, and no one likes being corrected.
Finally, the correction should be given out of love and concern. The motive for the correction is the true good of the others, not your own benefit. That is true affection.
“Don’t neglect the practice of fraternal correction, which is a clear sign of the supernatural virtue of charity. It’s hard; because it’s easier to be inhibited. Easier! but not supernatural.
- And for such omissions you will have to render an account to God."