Today we have three separate sayings of Jesus, on scandal, on forgiveness and on faith.

Scandal, in the Gospel sense, means actions which have the effect of weakening another person's faith in Jesus and the Gospel. They are inevitable, says Jesus, but tragic for those who cause them. They are regarded as very serious offences and we can all be guilty of them - especially parents and other people in positions of trust and authority in the Church.

However, Jesus also speaks of the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation for the wrongdoer. A wrongdoer should be corrected but, if the person clearly repents, he/she should be forgiven and received back into the community. And there is no limit to the number of times forgiveness should be extended where there is genuine sorrow.

The third saying is about faith, that is, deep trust in God. Jesus tells His followers that, if they have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed, they could order a sycamore tree to be uprooted and transplanted in the sea and it would happen. Let us pray for deeper trust that Jesus' way is the best way.