The Gospel reminds us that, as followers of Christ, we belong to a community of brothers and sisters. We are not a religion of individualists going on our own way to Christ. As a community we have a calling to present a joint witness to living out the Gospel. That means we have a responsibility for each other's behaviour. When someone steps seriously out of line and acts in a clearly unchristian way, they have to be called to account. If they insist on flagrantly violating the Gospel's standards of love and justice, we may have to separate ourselves from them. The community has the authority of Christ to do this: "Whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven (i.e. by God)." But, the minute they show repentance, they must be received back. We have to combine compassion with firmness.