‘He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him takes care to chastise him’ (Prov 13:24).
The natural love that parents have for their children such that they are even willing to sacrifice their lives for the good of their offspring is familiar to all. Due to this love, parents experience much concern when a young person begins to take the wrong path… They must teach them, reprehend and warn them, and when necessary, resort to a more severe measure: punishment.
Later on, those who were brought up in this way will show themselves to be people of character and virtue, giving many fruits through their good works. Therefore, a tenderness that omits the truth, with the illusion of eliminating the pain caused by severity, is simply a misnomer. By using this erroneous tactic, parents end up fomenting the bad tendencies of their children, who, without a real formation in the truth, might even end up losing their souls eternally.
The Church as our Holy Mother takes on the essential duty of proclaiming the truth, also utilizing its authority in announcing the Gospel. Consequently, it has never laid aside the efficacious means of salvation such as severity, reprehension and even punishment when it deems necessary. In this way, it follows the example of the Divine Master who did not hesitate to expel the vendors from the temple with a whip, or to vehemently rebuke the Pharisees.
So we are left with just one doubt: Does the Church really do good when it evangelizes exclusively through gentleness, fraternity and love? Moreover, what harm does the Church do when it fails to preach the truth in the name of gentleness, fraternity and love? Look at what Popes, Congregations and the Doctors of the Church have to say….
