Lord, may I love and compassionate the sinner, not loving the sin in him, but pursuing the sin out of love for him.
When I love a sick man I fight his fever, for if I spared the fever, I would not be loving the sick man. So I will tell my brother the truth without evasion. Yes, with frank openness I will tell him the truth; but I will be patient with him about correcting himself.
While the just man chides the sinner, he charitably tolerates his sins, since charity endures all things. Yes, Lord, I will reprove; but though I am stern for charity’s sake do not let my heart lose its gentleness.
Who is more merciful than the doctor who uses his instruments? He deplores having to cut, but he cuts, deplores having to cauterize, but he cauterizes. This is not cruelty. He is merciless to the wound so that the person may recover, for to coddle the wound would be to destroy the patient.
O Lord, grant me also to love my sinful brother in every kind of way, and not drive out charity toward him from my heart, but at the same time make me know how to correct him if that is necessary. St. Augustine
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