Should we fear to show mercy? ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’ (Lk 6:36) has always been our motto when it comes to mercy. The Lord has not stipulated any condition to mercy as is evident from the Lord’s advice to forgive ‘not seven times, but seventy-seven times’ (Mt 18:22).
But in Jude 22,23 we read; ‘Have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies (by the flesh). The Scripture tells us that a heightened level of caution is required while dealing with people who live in sins against sixth and ninth commandments. In the case of those ‘who are wavering’ and those whom we plan to ‘snatch out of the fire’ common prudence and discernment is sufficient. But in the case of a person ‘whose tunic is defiled by the flesh’- which is a clear indication to the nature of their sin- mercy should be exercised with fear. Why?
When we interact with persons habitually living in sin against chastity, the ‘spirit of whoredom’ (Hos 5:4) that consumes them will try to ensnare us too. Saint Paul, who was aware of this spiritual secret teaches the Corinthians: ‘I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons- not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolator, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a person (1 Cor 5:9-11).
In short, we should be cautious in our friendships and associations. We may not be committing any sin but if our association is with a habitual sinner it will definitely jeopardize our eternal salvation. Yet he deserves our mercy. The biggest mercy we can show a sinner is convincing him about the sinful nature of his deeds and telling him how the sacrifice of Jesus becomes the good news of salvation to all humanity. It is to tell him about the need to repent and return to the Father’s house. It is to convince him that he is also entitled to the forgiveness and free salvation that Jesus offers.
Accompanying a sinner without telling him about the danger of continuing in sin is not mercy, but a pseudo-mercy that will lead his soul to damnation. Those who accompany a sinner without calling him to repentance will also end up at the same place where the sinner eventually reaches. When a tendency to trivialize sin in the name of mercy, love, and accompaniment is growing, we should be very careful.
Perhaps we might be living under the false notion and misplaced confidence that we will never fall from grace. To such people, St Paul writes; ‘So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall’ ( 1 Cor 10:12). This warning is more relevant now than ever. So let us show sympathy to the wavering, and snatch others from the fire of sin. But when it comes to those whose ‘tunic is defiled with sins of flesh’, keep a prudent distance even while showing mercy to them. It is to safeguard our own salvation.
Does the tunic of a sinner contaminate those who approach him? The Scripture gives an answer. A woman suffering from hemorrhages for twenty years touched the cloak of Jesus and she was healed immediately (Mk 5:25-29). Jesus was holy and his cloak too shared some of his holiness. Peter was a saint and ‘people carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by’ (Acts 5:15). Peter’s holiness made even his shadow something precious. When the hand-kerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul’s skin were brought to the sick their disease left them, and the evil spirits came out of them’ (Acts 19:12) because Paul lived in holiness.
If the holiness, healing, and deliverance from holy people can be transmitted through their cloaks, hand-kerchiefs, aprons, and even their shadows, the impurity also can be transmitted from the belongings of an unclean person. We should indeed fear the dress of an unclean person. Think how cautious we should be in our social relations and friendships when the apostle has warned us not even to eat with him. The Word of God says; ‘Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean’ (2 Cor 6:17).
Let us examine our relationships and friendships meticulously. Let us also pray for the grace to correct people living in sin with prudence and fear.
