Penn Jillette is probably better known to you as the “larger and louder half of the famous magic duo, Penn & Teller.” Even if you haven’t seen one of their Las Vegas shows you’ve almost certainly seen one of their numerous television appearances.
But what you might not know about Penn Jillette is that he is also an outspoken, and often profane atheist who has been truly vicious in his attacks on religion. He’s recently come out with a book about his atheism, decrying the follies of religions and those who believe in them.
But not that long ago, on his personal webpage, Penn told the story of a gentleman who came to see him backstage after one of his shows. The gentleman was a Christian and Penn recalls that he was kind and complimentary. He looked Penn in the eyes and spoke gently, and when he left he gave Penn a Bible hoping that he might come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Interestingly, Penn had this to say about the encounter:
“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward … how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”
I have to say that I was amazed and impressed by this response. So much of our modern culture tells us that there is no such thing as objective truth, and therefore no objective way to define the good. There is only your truth and my truth – what is good for you, and what is good for me.
And so, in the name of tolerance and diversity, even many professing Christians fail to speak to people who do not believe in Christ about the love we have experienced in Him and through His Church.
And on a slightly different but related note, an even greater number of believers fail to admonish fellow Christians who they know have fallen away from Christ and His Church. We fail to warn our fellow Christians who have lost their way about the dangers inherent in their choices.
Sadly, we believers can even rationalize both kinds of silence by referring to the Scriptures. We are, of course, called to love one another. St. Paul says as much in today’s second reading: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” he says; “Love is the fulfillment of the law.”
And we recall that Jesus said, “Judge not lest you be judged.” And we imagine that saying something that is difficult or awkward to hear is automatically judgmental and unloving – so we remain silent.
But Penn Jillette, a non-believer, catches the error in this way of thinking. If we truly believe what we say we believe – if we truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and Life – if we truly believe that His way is the surest path to our own happiness in this life, and in the life to come – then it is precisely out of love for others that we must speak the truth to them.
We cannot, for fear of being called bigots or judgmental, fail to witness to and profess the truth. We must help our brothers and sisters to see the truth, and help them to find the good – both of which are the person of Jesus Christ – so that they too might have a share in it!
At the same time, it is also essential that we always speak the truth in love. Our motivation – why we say what we say – can never be judgment or prejudice, but only love for our brothers and sisters and a “desire to make God known, loved, and served and thus save souls.” In the same way, how we speak the truth is also crucial in assuring that what we say can be heard well, and can ultimately have the intended good effect.
Friends, our readings today instruct us that, out of love, we must indeed warn, admonish, and correct one another – and they also outline for us the methods for doing so in a way that will keep us from bringing judgment on ourselves by speaking or acting harshly toward one another.
In our first reading, from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, God says to the prophet, “I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel … You shall warn them for me … If I tell the wicked, ‘you shall surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked will die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.”
The lesson of this first reading is clear: We are in this together! We are to warn one another when we stray from the path of righteousness, and when we don’t we bear the guilt of failing to truly love and care for one another.
Then, in our Gospel from St. Matthew, Jesus outlines the steps that we should take to ensure that we always correct, warn, and admonish one another in the most loving way.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,” He says. Thus the first step is always to go directly to the person, to tell them one on one and face to face. Yes, this is terribly difficult, and no one likes doing it, but it is indeed the best way.
Instead, we tend to complain behind people’s back, or to gossip, or to be passive aggressive don’t we? We tell anyone but the person who could benefit from fraternal correction and sound advice. Unfortunately, this is what makes families or work environments so dysfunctional. We should instead, start by speaking with the person one on one.
But what if the person doesn’t listen to us? Then Jesus says, “If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you.”
First, this helps ensure that we are still not gossiping or complaining behind people’s backs. Second, as with any intervention, widening the circle slightly helps us confirm that the admonition we are making is not based in our own personal hang-ups. And third, it makes it more likely that the person we are correcting will truly see the gravity of the situation, and understand that a number of people are ready to offer them help.
Similarly, Jesus continues to the next step by saying that, “if he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.” Again, though the group is larger, it is still a select group gathered around Jesus in love, offering means of support, including advice, prayer, encouragement, and especially the grace and strength of the Sacraments.
As a last resort, Jesus gives us a final step: “If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” It is sad, but some people choose to ostracize themselves – they choose to ignore good advice and continue on dangerous and self-destructive paths.
Sometimes, there is just nothing we can do to convince people to change, even for their own good. And Jesus tells us to treat these people like Gentiles or tax collectors. But just how did Jesus show His disciples that they were to treat non-Jews, tax collectors, and sinners?
Jesus Himself continued to reach out to them in love – never ignoring their sin; never failing to speak the truth in love or failing to call them to conversion – but always loving and welcoming them, in hopes of seeing them eventually return to the Father’s house.
Brothers and sisters, so much of our modern American culture tries to tell us that we should keep the truth of our faith to ourselves. But if we truly believe that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and if we truly love our brothers and sisters, how can we fail to help one another to know and follow Him?
May this Eucharist give us the wisdom, the courage, and the love that we need to assist one another in our common attempt to follow in the steps of our Master.
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