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There are significant spiritual reasons to discourage, rather than encourage, the correction of others - the so-called fraternal correction.
The one who corrects is loathed. His listeners respond that he should go with God and say:
Behold how he comes to us with his hypocrisy, as if we were not as zealous as he when necessary. We have prophets and prelates whom we may hear. We do not need him to set himself up as a judge over us. Just look at him closely. He can hardly judge himself.
There is no doubt that fraternal correction is both a divine and natural gift.
The Lord commands, and good reasons tell us, that we should counsel and instruct our neighbors about their failings, showing them that love motivates us to seek their perfection & that we wish for them no less good than for ourselves.
There are some matters in which it is virtuous to do more than we should - to exceed our duty - as when someone who is obliged to fast goes a step further and rejects even fish. But there are times when it is sinful to add to our obligation.
If you were obliged to deal another 12 lashes, and then you gave him 13 or more, clearly it would not be good to add to the number in that case.
This leads to the idea that it is not virtuous to add anything to the obligatory fraternal correction.
In Matthew 7 we read: Only rarely and in cases of great necessity are we to apply reprehensions & then it must be done with respect for God & taking our eyes from the beam of hate.
If the recollected are to apply themselves more completely to God - they should excuse themselves from fraternal correction in every possible, permissible way.
We should forsake fraternal discipline when it seems excessive to correct the other or when a warning might worsen the situation.
Truly the hungry person does not have to be fed by a certain Peter, though he may be rich, it it can be proved that he can be fed & nourished by someone else or himself - so let no one easily become scrupulous, as if it were his obligation.
In this situation much can be omitted or not executed without breaching divine law. And it is often foolish and a miscarriage of justice to correct our brother as if he had sinned mortally. Many reasons can be offered to excuse discipline.
Thus, the are 6 conditions necessary before we are obliged to discipline our brothers.
Condition 1 - certain knowledge of sin.
Do not correct on the basis of mere suspicion.
Do not correct on the basis of mere suspicion.
Condition 2 - meekness in correcting.
If we threaten angrily, we provoke the person we discipline and cause him to commit further sin.
If we threaten angrily, we provoke the person we discipline and cause him to commit further sin.
Condition 3 - there be no one else more suitable for correction.
If some who are as good or better than I see the sinner or if they are his superiors or are more familiar with him, I can assume & believe that one of them will discipline him.
If some who are as good or better than I see the sinner or if they are his superiors or are more familiar with him, I can assume & believe that one of them will discipline him.
If it is certain that they would not, then I would be bound to correct him provided the other conditions are simultaneously met.
Condition 4 - must be hope that my counsel will correct him.
If this hope is not present, I should not discipline him.
If this hope is not present, I should not discipline him.
Condition 5 - his sin be mortal, not venial
Though it is difficult to get any one of the 6 conditions, the most troublesome is that of discerning whether or not the sin is mortal.
Though it is difficult to get any one of the 6 conditions, the most troublesome is that of discerning whether or not the sin is mortal.
Condition 6 - there does not appear to be a better time or place for discipline than when I see him sin or when I choose to correct him.
Even though we are obliged to observed Christ's commandment, we are not obligated to carry out discipline unless 6 conditions occur.
This is to quiet the consciences of those who are not prelates and to turn us diligently to correcting and watching ourselves.
We have evidence every day that if we dare correct another without these 6 conditions being met, he might well regard us angrily.
If we cannot ascertain the seriousness of the sin, let us place our finger on our mouth, sealing our lips so that we will not admit evil in our effort to do good or destroy instead of building up.
