The way to see them

Scum. Lowlife. Slimy. Immoral. Spineless. Hypocrite.

We know the people these words describe.

In today’s first reading (Romans 14:7-12), St. Paul has words for us:

Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God...

Should we then just ignore immorality and wrongdoing?

No, but rather than exalt ourselves as judges (sinners that we are), we should focus on the example of the Good Shepherd, as our Lord describes in today’s Gospel (Luke 15:1-10):

What man among you
having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?

And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me
because I have found my lost sheep.’

I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

Most relevant here are the words of the prophet Isaiah (53:6), from his prophecy about the Suffering Servant (a prophecy fulfilled in Christ).

All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the LORD hath laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

All of us sinners are indeed lost sheep.

We should shepherd one another
as we would have Christ shepherd us.