A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (18:15-20)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
REFLECTION: Matthew’s Gospel today, is another of many blessings we receive, from Jesus’ teachings to His disciples. It outlines a process, for addressing sin within our brothers and sisters in Christ, emphasizing reconciliation, and the authority of the Church.
The teaching, that stands out to me the most, from today’s Gospel is, that God does not leave us alone to our sin. But rather, He puts us together with others, who might be able to see, what we cannot, about how we are living. They are God’s agents of kindness, that can lead us to repentance. Jesus envisions us, His people, being able to stay together, and He recognizes, that this will require taking a risk, in truth-telling, and a life-changing, repentant attitude.
We have Jesus’ teaching today, starting at the smallest level: one-on-one, person-honoring conversation, that allows a person, to follow the Spirit’s invitation, to repentance, without being publicly shamed, for a sin they are repenting of. There are times, an individual, who has been harmed by another, can safely have that sort of conversation, with the one, who has hurt them, and it leads to strengthening their relationship, and that process of truth-telling, from both sides, leads to restoration, of relationship. But other times, this doesn’t happen. Either because the person, who has been sinned against, is not able to, or should not, because of power dynamics, safety, or other circumstances, be part of this process, or the person who is sinning, is so rooted—we might even say bound, by their pattern, that they can’t deal with the truth. God’s good intent persists all the same, and Jesus instructs His family, to keep involved in each other’s lives, so that we might repent, of our wrongs.
Furthermore, when the need for repentance remains, as we heard in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His people, to increase the circle, of those coming around the sinner, for accountability, and as witnesses, of what changed lives, can look like. What’s even more healing is, that according to Jesus Himself, He is also in our midst, there, witnessing, to what we do, or do not do.
Jesus promises to be with us, whenever we try and be reconciled to our brother or sister in Christ. When we gather in His name, when we pray in His name, when we seek to be reconciled in His name, He promises to be with us. Why? Because more than anything, Jesus wants all of our relationships to be healthy and whole. Our relationship with God, and our relationship with each other.
And this promise, is not just a doctrine to believe. It is a relationship to be enjoyed. A relationship that is at the heart, of this wonderful thing, we call Christianity. There is nothing, more important to God, than our relationship with God, and with one another. So let us tend, to both of these relationships, faithfully, for the glory of God.
ACTION FOR THE DAY: Through meditation and prayer today, seek the help of the Holy Spirit, to lead you and assist you, in cultivating community and fellowship; connecting with other brothers and sisters in Christ, fostering genuine relationships based on love, support, and encouragement. Openly sharing your joys and struggles, creating a space for vulnerability and mutual support.
AUDIO REFLECTION:
