Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Have you met those who scorn worshippers as hypocrites? Are you
scandalized by the heinous sins of the Church's members? Have you
been tempted to doubt the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church after
the revelations of the misdeeds of bishops and priests? You then
know for yourself what it was that drove those "who prided themselves on
being just men and despised everyone else." (Luke 19, 8) The sin
of pride blinds those in its tight grip to that which should concern them
most: their own sins which alone deserve their attention as the sole obstacle
to attaining the glory of heaven.
Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners
as familiarly as with themselves. (Cf. Luke 5:30; 7:36; 11:37; 14:1)
Against those among them "who trusted in themselves that they were righteous
and despised others," Jesus affirmed :"I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance." (Luke 18:9; 5:32; cf. John 7:49; 9:34)
He went further by proclaiming before the Pharisees that, since sin is
universal, those who pretend not to need salvation are blind to themselves.
(Cf. John 8:33-36; 9:40-41) (CCC 588)
(See also CCC 2559, 2613, 2631, 2667, 2839)
Used with the permission of Fr. Cusick from his
website.
