Be happy to be corrected; Church Fathers: Day 242

Be happy to be corrected; Church Fathers: Day 242 March 24, 2018

St. Clement of Rome tells us to correct one another, and—more important—to accept correction happily. That’s hard to do, but it’s worthwhile, because God uses our brothers and sisters to show us when we’re headed down the wrong path.

So let us also pray for those who have fallen into sin. Pray that they may be given meekness and humility, so that they may submit, not to us, but to the will of God. That way they will have a productive and perfect remembrance from us. We shall give them our sympathy when we pray to God and when we speak of them to the saints.

Dear friends, no one should be unhappy to be corrected. It is good and very profitable for us to admonish one another because our exhortations unite us to the will of God.

This is what the holy Word says:

The Lord has chastened me sorely,

but he has not given me over to death” (Psalm 118:18).

For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves,

and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6).

Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness,

but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head” (Psalm 141:5).

Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves;

therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty.

For he wounds, but he binds up;

he smites, but his hands heal” (Job 5:17-18).

So you see, dear friends, since God is good, he corrects us, so that we may be warned by his holy chastisement.

St. Clement, 1 Corinthians, 56

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

How has God been trying to “chasten” me?

Have I accepted those warnings with gratitude?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, help me repent of the sins of the past, and help me avoid temptation in the future, so that I can overcome my weaknesses and grow stronger as a Christian.


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