Last Friday Rebecca Leighton, a nurse from Stepping Hill hospital, was released from arrest. Previously accused of the deaths of several patients she turned out to be innocent. But when she was arrested the media went mad. In her statement she said that ‘she’d been living in hell’. Last December a landscape architect Jo Yeates was murdered. The police arrested her landlord, a retired teacher, Mr Chris Jefferies. While he was under custody the media actually sentenced him to be guilty. Recently several newspapers had to pay huge compensations because Mr Jefferies turned out to be innocent. But I think no money can repair a once damaged reputation or restore the peace of mind.
In modern legal systems the presumption of innocence is the most essential rule. It’s a prosecutor’s task to prove guilt. But as the media are not part of the legal system they apparently don’t respect this rule. It seems that chasing ‘the story’ is their modus operandi, instead of looking for the truth. But let’s be fair – the media’s conduct is only a reflection of a broader and more common attitude. Gossiping has always been a popular way of sharing the news. However common it’s been also widely condemned. The difference between the past and the current time is that gossiping became universally acceptable. The enormous popularity of the tabloids and likewise TV programmes is a simple proof of this.
Today’s gospel shows us perfectly that the problem is not new. Jesus’ method of dealing with a problematic neighbour is pretty demanding. The first step is facing the person and talking to him or her personally. It means there has to be some sort of relationship established – because every interaction establishes a relationship between two people. It’s quite demanding because my opinion can be challenged or rejected; because my opinion can turn out to be false. It also demands my personal effort to express my opinion in the most possible sensitive way. It also demands some kind of bravery – much more than speaking anonymously behind a person’s back. Who’s able to do this in the proper manner? I think there is one decisive element in this approach: love of neighbour.
Let’s be honest – I don’t mean the kind of romantic, emotional feelings towards another person. No one can force him- or herself to feel love. Evangelical love means involving my mind and will in doing good, despite feeling good or not about it. I challenge someone’s behaviour or attitude because of him or her, not because of me. Practically it means putting that person in the centre of my concern instead of my own comfort or convenience. Saint Paul in today’s second reading speaks clearly about it: ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love […] cannot hurt your neighbour’. However pathetic it might sound, we are called to save others, not to make them condemned.