Set A Good Example
- Deacon Dan DeLuca
- Nov 9, 2022
- 5 min read
How many times in our life have we been told to set a good example? I would imagine many. Why was that asked of us? Why did someone ask us to set a good example? It is because we possessed the knowledge. We knew the right way to act or to do something and therefore we were capable of being a light for others. As Catholics, we possess the ultimate knowledge, the knowledge that will lead to eternal life. Do our lives reflect that? Does that knowledge come forth from us simply through how we live our lives? Does our example lead others to Christ? Let us consider those questions as we read this Gospel.
Some Sayings of Jesus
And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Luke 17 : 1-6
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus has just got done addressing the Pharisees and now he turns his attention back to the disciples. He will touch on four topics in this discourse, scandal, forgiveness, faith, and service. Scandal describes those things that cause another to stumble and do evil: in other words, to sin.
Jesus describes a terrible punishment for those who give scandal, who causes another to sin. He uses the image of a millstone which is a large heavy stone used to grind grain or press olives. If one were to have this placed around their neck prior to being tossed into the sea, that person would quickly drown and die. Still, such a death is better than the punishment that awaits if you cause someone to sin. Jesus warns the disciples to be on guard lest they become like the Pharisees, lest they lead others to sin.
Jesus then turns his attention to forgiveness. His imagery recalls the story of the prodigal son. The younger brother repented and yet the older brother was still angry with him. This is a commentary on how the Pharisees despise sinners and tax collectors even when they repent. Of course, if a brother sins you are supposed to rebuke them and offer fraternal correction. However, if the brother repents you must forgive them and there is no limit to that forgiveness expressed by Jesus in the saying, “seven times a day.” Such a message from Jesus was well within established Jewish piety.
Finding these teachings difficult, the disciples ask the Lord to increase their faith. Literally, they ask Jesus to add faith to us. The response from Jesus is that even a little faith, the size of a mustard seed, has great power. Jesus uses the image of a sycamine (mulberry) tree. With a little faith, one could command the tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea and it would happen. Sycamine trees have an extensive root system and are not planted in the sea so this saying is the equivalent of doing the impossible.
Daily Application
In this Gospel, Jesus gives uses a very stark example of the punishment that awaits us if we cause another to sin: the example of a millstone around our neck. Tossing someone into the sea in this condition will surely cause them to drown and die. Yet Jesus is telling us that as unpleasant as death by drowning is, such an end is far better than what awaits us if we lead someone else into sin.
It is possible to lead others into sin in two different ways: directly or indirectly. I would venture to guess that most of us don’t directly lead people into sin on any kind of regular basis. For example, we are not involved in procuring an abortion for someone or making arrangements for someone so that they can cheat on their spouse. Indirectly leading others into sin, however, is another matter entirely. We indirectly lead others to sin when we set an example of sinful behavior or fail to speak out when we witness sinful behavior and allow it to continue.
Indirectly leading others into sin has become very easy to do as sin has become so pervasive in our American culture. Sinful behavior is no longer hidden but rather it is on full display for others to see. Consider for example the lack of modesty when it comes to attire. We know immodest dress can cause others to have lust in their heart and Jesus tells us that, “every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) Do we speak out against the lack of modesty? Do we teach our children to dress modestly? This is but one small example to illustrate the larger point. When we allow behaviors or actions to occur because we are fearful of others’ reactions, we can indirectly lead someone else into sin. Now I am not urging everyone to grab their bullhorn and run around calling out all of the sinful behavior you witness. Rather, look for those moments where you can speak up and share what you know is true.
One of the more common phrases used today is accompaniment. We need to accompany people on their journey. That is true and we have Jesus as our example of what authentic accompaniment looks like. Consider the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus met them and walked with them. He allowed them to express their confusion. However, he didn’t let them remain in their ignorance. At some point in the conversation, Jesus corrected them and he did not hold back, “O foolish men, and slow of heart.” (Luke 24:25) Jesus pointed them back to Jerusalem, back to the truth. The point of accompaniment is not to walk with that person over the edge of the cliff. It is to point them back to the truth: back to Christ.
The Lord calls us to set a good example. We are to lead others to him. We do that both in words and in actions. Those things that we speak out against are just as important as the things we promote. Those actions that we refrain from, are just as important as the ones we enter into. We have a duty, a responsibility from God to hand on the gift we have been given, the gift of the Gospel. Hand it on faithfully and fully unless you desire to find yourself with a millstone around your neck.
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