Pope Francis in remarks at the chapel of St. Martha’s House said gossip is a sin, a slap in the face of Jesus, and those who claim to be followers of the faith should stop being “nosy” and mind their own business.
“What is it to you?” he questioned, in reference to Jesus’ comments to Peter who was tempted to “interfere in the lives of others,” Catholic News Agency reported.
“All three — disinformation, defamation and slander — are sins. This is sin. It is to slap Jesus in the person of his children, his brothers,” the pope said, CNA reported.
The pope cited two reasons for people being nosy: The first, to “compare oneself with others,” he said, in CNA. And the second — to gossip.
“It seems nice to chat,” the pope said, CNA reported. “I do not know why, but it looks nice. Like sweet of honey, right? You take one and then another, and another, and another, and in the end you have a stomachache. And why? The chatter is like that, eh? It is sweet at first, and it ruins you, it ruins your soul.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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