Today's gospel is uncomfortable to listen to, in the context of recent wide-spread media coverage of scandals in the church in Europe and America. We're not a "hidden" church in the world, but like an open city. Jesus told His followers to be a light for the world, letting people see our good deeds and so come to glorify our heavenly Father. These scandals, however, not only hurt the victims, they bring shame to all of us, darken the light we should be shining, and make it difficult for people to find God and see His face in the Body of Christ.

We cannot excuse or justify criminal and sinful behaviour, but we do need to be careful making judgements on people, even those who evidently are criminals or sinners. For none of us is perfect, we're all implicated in the world's sinfulness. We influence others by the evil we do and by the good we fail to do, even if our sinfulness is only small and we don't see its effects. Others' behaviour, good and bad, in turn influences us. There's really no such thing as "private" sin.

In Christ, however, God has saved and healed us: all the more reason for discomfort and shame when our brothers or sisters who should be salt for the world lose their taste, who should be lamps are doing worse than failing to give light to all in the house.

Let's feel deeply humbled by what's been happening in our church, feel and pray for real repentance.