Be Helpful but Cautious

Fr. Williams Onyilo, CSSp.

We live in a world filled with wolves in sheep’s clothing. Not everyone we see in the Church is there purely for salvation. Some seek political gain, some seek power, others seek fame, while some even come with the intention of destroying the Church or tarnishing her good name. Jesus already saw this in His own time and warned His disciples:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” — Matthew 7:15

The message of today’s readings calls us to be cautious. Some people around us, whom we assume are united with us, may actually have completely different intentions. While some may simply not share our vision, others may even harbour malicious and destructive plans against us.

That is why today’s first reading teaches us how to relate with such people:

“Show mercy to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy mixed with fear, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

As Christians, we are called to be loving and helpful, but we must also be wise and discerning. Kindness should never mean carelessness.

When I worked as a priest in Benue State, Nigeria, one of our priests was kidnapped on a Sunday while returning from pastoral work. Along the road, he saw some young men who appeared stranded and decided to offer them a lift. As the journey continued, the boys suddenly confessed to him:

“Rev. Father, we are sorry. We are kidnappers. We have been standing on this road looking for someone to kidnap, and we cannot return from this operation empty-handed. Even though you helped us, we will kidnap you today.”

Sadly, the priest was kidnapped. The diocese refused to pay the ransom, and he remained in captivity for about a week until his family was able to raise about three million naira for his release.

From that moment, many of us became far more cautious about giving lifts to strangers, especially on lonely roads. This does not mean we should stop helping people, but it reminds us that wisdom and prudence are necessary in a dangerous world.

Dear friends, let us continue to do good, but let us also pray for the gift of discernment. May the Holy Spirit protect and guide us as we strive to do the will of God.

Amen.