Sunday, July 18, 2010

Thus humble was St Paul, and therefore said he thus of himself: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or distress,etc.? And he answereth himself, and saith: I am persuaded that no creature shall be able to separate me from the charity of God in Christ Jesus. Many men do deeds of charity, and have no charity, as I have said. To reprove a sinner for his sin to his amendment, in a convenient time, is a deed of charity; but to hate the sinner instead of the sin, is against charity. He that is verily humble can part the one from the other, and none but he. For though a man had all moral virtues of all the philosophers, he could not do this; he could be able to hate sin in other men (for he hateth it in himself), but he could not be able to love the man in charity, with all his philosophy. (John Climacus)

Humility does not replace judgment, humility informs judgment.

Humility allows us to distinguish sin from sinner and to love the sinner in a manner that gives us insight into the sin.

To know how and when to engage the sinner to separate from he sin is a skill allowed by humility.

Even as if the sinner were ourselves, as will often be the case.

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