The answer
a. He should hold in his heart the words of Isaiah the Prophet: “Woe to those who call
evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20). We can neither allow light to become darkness, nor consider darkness to be light.
b. If we see a person breaking a commandment or if we think that he has deviated from
the true faith, we need to consider the following factors in our behavior towards him:
• If we have a close relationship with him, we should ask him about the matter as
one who inquires, not as one who criticizes.
• If we do not have a close relationship with him, we should appeal to someone
who does have such a relationship with him, and who is wise in his words and actions.
• We should always keep in mind that we ought not try to expose him, even among
friends, and even if he is wrong. Rather, we imitate our God who covers us, without neglecting our evil.
We need to dedicate prayer, fasting, and prostrations so that the Lord Himself takes over the matter, and may God protect us from exposing others, but grant us a spirit of love, meekness, and humility.
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty