Refuse To Support Evil

Sinning is an evil act against God and his loving plans for our lives. It is something that hurts God and separates us from Him. It is an act one must choose to do, however, it is not something that is always clear and direct in our minds. 

During the events of the condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus, some of the Jewish people who persecuted Him likely knew not of their own sins. There are two main reasons why this may be:

• Indirectness: they felt like they themselves did no harm, for they did not physically harm Jesus as those who beat him and crucified him.
• Peer Pressure/Rationale:  the crowd around them were condemning this Man, and they thought if so many people proclaimed Him to be wicked, it must be true. 

In the first reading, Peter tells the Jews, “... you killed, using lawless men to crucify Him.” The Jews, though they were not the ones to directly crucify Jesus, still in the end “killed” Him through others. Through their support of those who wished him dead, they sinned against Jesus.

We, in our own lives, may support sinful causes, and assume it is OK because we are not the ones directly committing whatever the sinful act might be. However, in supporting unjust things, we are guilty of the sinful act being committed, just as Peter points out that the Jews supporting the death of Jesus were guilty of killing Him. 

Supporting does not always have to do with giving direct or financial support. We can still support sinful causes indirectly. We may support unjust causes through our votes, through our viewership, and by refusing to condemn and fight against sinful acts. We, as Christians, ought to uphold righteous and pure causes by refusing to support evil ones. We can do this by standing against sinful causes with our own actions and words, refusing to view sinful or unjust media, and supporting those who will fight against immoral acts. 

Another thing we as Christians are called to do is put God and His teaching before whatever the common opinion is. Many times, we trap ourselves into “following the crowd”. The “crowd” may not always be wrong, however, as the second reading teaches;  if we place our faith and hope in God, we shall not fall into any sinful temptations the crowd and common opinions may offer.

 Lord, you will show us the path of life! (Ps. 16)

– James Curl, H.S. Youth Group
Send Us Forth are reflections written by St. Matthew parishioners and friends.