1 Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 10
If Timothy
comes, see that he is without fear in your company, for he is doing the
work of the Lord just as I am.
Sometimes
God chooses a person to do his work that is not a winner of the popularity
contest. Timothy seems to be one of these. Even Christ Himself was disdained
when only the 12 remained. Therefore have courage if you are doing the work of
the Lord and you are not winning everyone’s BFF.
Is calumny a grievous sin?
When the occasion is important, and the slander is deliberately uttered, with
evil intention, when one’s neighbor is thereby grievously injured, and his good
name damaged, every one may see how grievous and detestable, in such a case,
this sin is.
Is it sinful to disclose the faults of our neighbor?
To make public the faults and sins of our neighbor uselessly, merely for the
entertainment of idle persons, is always sinful. But if, after trying in vain
to correct his faults and sins by brotherly admonition, we make them known to
his parents or superiors, for his punishment and amendment, so far from being a
sin, it is rather a good work and a duty of Christian charity.
Is it a sin also to listen willingly to calumny?
Yes; for thereby we furnish the calumniator an occasion for sin and give him
encouragement. For which reason St. Bernard says: “Whether to calumniate be a
greater sin than to listen to the calumniator I will not lightly decide.”
What ought to restrain us from calumny? The
thought, 1, of the enormity of this sin; 2, of the number of sins occasioned
thereby of which the calumniator, as the occasion of them, becomes partaker; 3,
of the difficulty of correcting the harm done, since we cannot know the full
extent of the injury, nor stop the tongues of people. Finally, we must think on
the eternal punishment which follows this sin. The holy Fathers say that of
young persons who are condemned the greater part is for impurity, but of the
old, for calumny.
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