Week 530–The Word–Fr Tony Percy–Acceptance Is Not Necessarily Approval

The Word–Fr Tony Percy–Acceptance Is Not Necessarily Approval (we have readings which focus our attention on change. Change that is of benefit to us is most important, particularly when it comes to moral conversion. What Jesus does is instigates a conversation with the chief priests and elders, the elite, and he says to them, look, the tax collectors and the sinners are making their way into the kingdom of God much quicker than you are. They've gone for the change, to change their lives, whereas you guys, the elite, have not. Those tax collectors and prostitutes are an interesting category of people. They had a profound experience of the love of Christ, something that really changed them dramatically. Jesus accepted them, He loved them, and most importantly, He challenged them. So, this brings us to what is a very important principle which helps us to change in a moral sense, in a sense of conversion with ourselves, but also with others. And that is that acceptance is not approval. Jesus' acceptance of the tax collectors and the prostitutes, His love for them is clearly on display, but He challenges them. He doesn't approve of their behaviour. This whole idea of change, particularly moral change, depends on this most important principle, that is, acceptance of the person is not necessarily approval of their current behaviour.)