On Mary Magdalene, the media, and mercy

Yesterday marked the feast of St. Mary Magdalene — and the Archbishop of Los Angeles offered a beautiful, surprisingly timely reflection.

Here’s Archbishop Jose Gomez, from The Tidings:

God is kind and merciful. There is no one who is beyond the pale of his redemption. There is no one whom God cannot redeem and use for his purposes.

I worry sometimes that we might be forgetting that in our society.

When I am reading on the internet, or listening to the radio or TV, I am surprised at how many people seem so angry and judgmental. In blog posts and comment boxes, people question each other’s motives. They accuse and threaten.

Everywhere in our culture, people seem so quick to condemn. It is very hard to find words of mercy or understanding for someone who has done something wrong. There are many good people out there saying things they know they shouldn’t be saying.

We need to watch out for these tendencies in our lives, my friends.

People make mistakes. They sin. Some people do evil that causes scandal and grave harm. We can condemn the offense and work for justice — without trying to destroy the person who committed the sin. We are called in all things to charity and truth, kindness and empathy. No matter who are dealing with.

The life of Mary Madgalene is a reminder that God is always merciful — even if we are not.

You’ll want to read the rest.