2 Corinthians 2:5-8
But if any one has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to you all. For such a one this punishment by the majority is enough; so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
In 1 Corinthians Paul called a gross sinner to repentance. The sinner repented. The point of the repentance was not to make him crawl in the dust, but to raise him to his feet. If someone has hurt you and said he was sorry, lift up his head, don't grind it in the dirt. That someone can, by the way, include yourself.
By Mark Shea
Mark P. Shea is a Catholic author, blogger, and speaker.
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