Fraternizing with sinners

THAT’S what Christ did, even to the extent of ruffling the

sentiments of some people who considered themselves to be without sin.

For example, he chose Matthew, a tax-collector, another name for big

sinner at that time, as one of the apostles. He dined with Zaccheus,

another rich man regarded also as sinner at that time.

            Fraternizing with sinners is what we all have to cultivate

in ourselves also. We have to replicate Christ’s attitude towards

sinners, who actually are all of us—of course, in varying degrees. We

have to give special attention to the lost sheep and to the lost coin.

We have to open all possible avenues to be in touch with all sinners.

            This capacity to fraternize with sinners is first of all a

gift from God which we have to take care of and develop. It’s meant to

mature us and to involve us in the continuing work of redemption of

Christ. It’s not meant, of course, to dilute the teachings of Christ

and the very essence of goodness and true holiness.

            We need to train ourselves in this department because we

obviously have to contend with tremendous difficulties that we have to

learn to surmount. We will always have our biases and preferences and

other natural and human conditionings that, if not handled well, can

be divisive elements in our life.

            But if we closely follow Christ, if we pray and let

ourselves be led by our faith more than by our feelings, we can manage

to consider everyone worthy of our attention, concern and love. Even

those who, from under different criteria and standards, we consider as

sinners, enemies, unlovable, etc., can command our care.

            So, we just have to learn how to be sport and game with

everyone without compromising the rules of the game, so to speak. Foul

is foul, cheating is cheating, and the appropriate penalties should be

given, but the game has to go on.

            Just the same, we have to be ready to get dirty. There is

actually no game where the sportsman does not get dirty or does not

experience extreme tensions and suspense.

            In this regard, we have to realize more deeply that we

need to be strong and flexible ourselves. Thus, we have to undergo

continuing formation, just like those good athletes who never fail to

practice daily and to go through endless training exercises.

            The world is getting more complex and complicated which,

in the eyes of a true Christian believer, can only mean that things

are getting more challenging and exciting. One never gives up before

this prospect, chickening out easily.

            In fact, he would feel more stimulated to get involved,

knowing that whatever be the outcome, God’s providence will always

prevail. He knows perfectly well that all this spiritual and apostolic

game is not only his to play, but God’s, first of all.

            We have to train ourselves to be “all things to all men,”

as St. Paul once said. (1 Cor 9,19) We can always do this everyday by

taking advantage of every opportunity we have to adapt ourselves to

everyone as he is and to every situation that can come our way.

            We can always count on God’s grace for this. And even if

we are conditioned by so many things like our temperament, our

personal and family backgrounds and orientations, our cultural and

social environments, let’s never forget that we have a spiritual soul

that can always transcend the limitations of all these conditionings.

            We have to take the initiative to love everyone,

regardless of whether they ‘deserve’ to be loved or not. In fact, we

have to give special attention, like what Christ did, to those who

seem far from God—the atheists, agnostics, heretics, etc. These are

the ultimate “poor and marginalized” or the real “least of our

brethren,” even if they may appear rich, powerful and famous according

to human standards.

            Obviously, in all this, we have to practice a certain

prudence and discretion. In the first place, because we have to

adequately protect ourselves. And secondly, because we have to avoid

possible scandals, whether real or false, true or pharisaical, in

others, especially those who are still like children in the faith.

            Even with those who are self-righteous, we should try our

best not to scandalize them unduly. But since we are told that we

cannot avoid scandals in the world, we should try our best to

neutralize them as quickly as possible through the appropriate means,

always giving clarifications of our motives and of our means.

            But the game of fraternizing with sinners has to go on!