23rd Sunday
Ordinary Time (A)
Matthew 18: 15-20
- First reading Ezekiel 33:7-9
If you do not speak to the wicked man, I will hold you responsible for his death - Second reading Romans 13:8-10
Your only debt should be the debt of mutual love - Gospel Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus teaches his disciples to be merciful as God is merciful.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today’s gospel reading is a continuation of the teaching that began in last Sunday’s gospel. We continue to hear Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Recall that in Luke’s Gospel, this teaching is addressed to Jesus’ disciples. This is in contrast to the parallel found in Matthew’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus’ words are addressed to both the disciples and to the crowds.
These words from Jesus’ teaching are familiar to us. They constitute the crux and the challenge of what it means to be a disciple: Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, give to those who ask, do unto others, lend without expecting repayment, judge not lest you be judged.
There are several similarities between Luke’s and Matthew’s report of Jesus’ great teaching. Both begin with the Beatitudes. Matthew includes nearly all the content that Luke does; the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel is longer than Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. There are, however, differences in language and nuance. For example, Matthew presents this portion of the teaching as a contrast between Jesus’ teaching and the teachings of the law and the prophets. This is in keeping with Matthew’s concern to address his predominantly Jewish audience. It is likely that Luke omits this contrast because it was unnecessary for the Gentile believers for whom Luke is writing.
Another point of contrast between Matthew and Luke’s presentation is the terminology. In Luke, Jesus contrasts the behavior of his followers with the behavior of “sinners.” In Matthew, Jesus contrasts the behavior desired with the behavior of tax collectors and Gentiles. Matthew concludes the teaching about love of enemies with the admonition to be perfect as God is perfect; Luke concludes by emphasizing God’s mercy.
In both Gospels, Jesus’ words challenge those who would follow him to be more like God. God loves us beyond our expectations, beyond anything we can possibly imagine. In response to God’s love, we are to love as God loves, beyond expectations and with a depth beyond imagining.
A pedagogy of rehabilitation
Pope Francis
This Sunday’s Gospel passage (cf. Mt 18:15-20) is taken from Jesus’ fourth discourse in Matthew’s account, known as the discourse on the ‘community’ or the ‘ecclesial’ discourse. Today’s passage speaks about fraternal correction, and invites us to reflect on the twofold dimension of Christian existence: community, which demands safeguarding communion — that is, the unity of the Church — and personal, which obliges attention and respect for every individual conscience.
To correct a brother who has made a mistake, Jesus suggests a pedagogy of rehabilitation. And Jesus’ pedagogy is always a pedagogy of rehabilitation. He always tries to rehabilitate, to save. And this pedagogy of rehabilitation is articulated in three passages. In the first place he says: “tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (v. 15), that is, do not air his sin in public. It is about going to your brother with discretion, not to judge him but to help him realize what he has done. How many times have we had this experience: someone comes and tells us: ‘But listen, you were mistaken about this. You should change a little in this regard’. Perhaps in the beginning we get angry, but then we say ‘thank you’, because it is a gesture of brotherhood, of communion, of help, of rehabilitation.
And it is not easy to put this teaching of Jesus into practice, for various reasons. There is the fear that the brother or sister may react badly; at times you may lack sufficient confidence with him or with her. And other reasons. But every time we have done this, we have felt it was precisely the way of the Lord.
However, it may happen that, despite my good intentions, the first intervention may fail. In this case it is good not to give up and say: ’Make do, I wash my hands of it’. No, this is not Christian. Do not give up, but seek the support of some other brother or sister. Jesus says: “if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (v. 16). This is a precept of Mosaic law (cf. Deut 19:15). Although it may seem a disadvantage to the accused, in reality it served to protect him against false accusers. But Jesus goes further: the two witnesses are called not to accuse and judge, but to help. ‘But let us agree, you and I, let us go talk to this man or woman, who is mistaken, who is making a bad impression. Let us go as brothers and speak to him or her’. This is the attitude of rehabilitation that Jesus wants from us. In fact Jesus explains that even this approach — the second approach, with witnesses — may fail, unlike Mosaic law, for which the testimony of two or three witnesses was enough to convict.
Indeed, even the love of two or more brothers or sisters may be insufficient, because that man or woman is stubborn. In this case — Jesus adds — “tell it to the church” (v. 17), that is, the community. In some situations the entire community becomes involved. There are things that can have an impact on other brothers and sisters: it takes a greater love to rehabilitate the brother. But at times even this may not be enough. And Jesus says: “and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (ibid.). This expression, seemingly so scornful, in reality invites us to put the brother in God’s hands: only the Father will be able to show a greater love than that of all brothers and sisters put together.
This teaching of Jesus helps us a great deal, because — let us consider an example — when we see a mistake, a fault, a slip, in that brother or sister, usually the first thing we do is to go and recount it to others, to gossip. And gossip closes the heart to the community, closes off the unity of the Church. The great gossiper is the devil, who always goes about saying bad things about others, because he is the liar who seeks to separate the Church to distance brothers and sisters and not create community. Please, brothers and sisters, let us make an effort not to gossip. Gossip is a plague more awful than Covid! Let us make an effort: no gossip. It is the love of Jesus, who had embraced the tax collectors and Gentiles, scandalizing the conformists of the time. However it is not a sentence without an appeal, but a recognition that at times our human attempts may fail, and that only being before God can bring the brother to face his own conscience and responsibility for his actions. If this matter does not work, then silence and prayer for the brother or sister who has made a mistake, but never gossip.
May the Virgin Mary help us to make fraternal correction a healthy practice, so that in our communities ever new fraternal relationships, founded on mutual forgiveness and above all on the invincible power of God’s mercy, may be instilled.
Angelus 6/9/2020
Missionary Community of pastoral concern for those far off
Romeo Ballan, MCCJ
How to teach? Why should someone who has committed a fault be admonished? In what way to correct someone who is in error? It is difficult to correct another person, and to do it well. It is easier – and happens more often – to talk to others about someone’s defects and failures; or to just humiliate them or offend them with a reproach… Why not let them stew in their own juice, without the bother of rebuking them? But what is the missionary attitude to take in such circumstances? It is very likely that the Gospel text of today on fraternal correction reflects concrete situations that occurred in the early Christian community for whom Matthew wrote this Gospel. The passage is part of what is called the ecclesiastical discourse (Mt 18), in which the Evangelist brings together several teachings of Jesus regarding relationships within the ecclesial community, based on the following steps: greatness consists in making oneself small (v. 1-5), scandal of little ones is grave matter (v. 6-11), seeking those who have wandered off (v. 12-14), fraternal correction (v.15-18), prayer in common (v. 19-20) and, finally, the forgiveness of offences and reconciliation (v. 23-25).
The objective of correction (Gospel) is to bring back and save the brother/sister who has committed a fault, or has gone astray. To make the admonition achieve its desired purpose, Jesus advises a step by step approach: first of all, at a personal level, one-on-one (v. 15); then with the assistance of one or two persons (v. 16); lastly, recourse to the whole assembly (v. 17). Even in the event that the brother/sister listens to no one, and is treated “like a pagan or a tax collector” (v. 17) it does not entail, nor does it authorise abandonment, but rather special attention towards such persons, as Jesus himself showed: he was “the friend of publicans and sinners” (Mt 11:19; cf Lk 15:1-2). The key to understanding this stubborn preference of Jesus is shown in the Parable of the Good Shepherd, who “leaves the 99 on the hillside and goes in search of the stray” (Mt 18:12). Jesus concludes the parable with a powerful statement: “It is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost” (Mt 18:14). This is the declaration that comes immediately before the text on fraternal correction. God desires more to forgive, and in greater haste, than a human person to be forgiven! It is indeed true that God believes that people are recoverable: this is the foundation of the hope of missionary pastoral concern for those far off; maybe with limitations and errors, but always with mercy, since this is the true face of God, which manifests itself in Christ.
God rejects the attitude of Cain who has no concern for his brother (cf Gn 4:9); indeed, He makes us (1st. Reading) watch over others (v. 7) and holds responsible whoever does not speak out “to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways” (v. 8). This is not interference in the lives of others, but a fraternal presence, inspired by love and a sincere seeking of the good of a brother/sister. Because mutual love (2nd Reading) is the only debt we should owe to others; indeed, “love is the answer to every one of the commandments” (v. 10). St. Paul lived for love of Christ and, therefore, was worried about all the churches (2 Cor 11:28), he wanted to announce to all the Gospel of Jesus and was not afraid to send strong and healthy warnings to its communities. But always with love!
Love for one another, aimed at recovering those who err, is the base on which fraternal connection is set, even with all the risks this might involve, especially when it is a matter of admonishing powerful people. The martyrdom of St. John the Baptist was the extreme consequence of a proper and courageous rebuke of an adulterer and corrupt king. Over the past few decades, especially in Latin America, there have been numerous cases of pastors and lay Catholics who have paid with their lives for their fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus, by defending the rights of the weak and denouncing the injustices of the powerful. It is obvious that today’s message does not refer just to small incidents in families or religious communities, but sheds a light on the behaviour of the Catholic (pastor or simple lay person) regarding those who are responsible for the greatest evils in society: perverse laws, social and moral degradation, grave injustices, corruption, mafia systems, public scandals, etc. In the face of these, silence and refusing to be involved would be marks of weakness, fear, cowardice and complicity.
The delicate task of mutual admonition and correction is too often omitted, as also Card. Carlo M. Martini remarks. This difficult service of fraternal correction, carried out in truth and love, becomes easier and more efficacious if it has the support of the community which lives in communion and prayer, thus enjoying the presence of the Lord, because they are gathered together in His Name (Mt 18:20). How great is the spontaneous and explosive missionary power of a reconciled and prayerful community which lives a life of fraternity.
A CHURCH GATHERED TOGETHER IN JESUS’ NAME
José Antonio Pagola
When one lives far from religion or has been deceived by the behavior of Christians, it’s easy for the Church to be presented only as a grand organization. A kind of «multinational» busy about defending and drawing forward its own interests. These people generally know the Church only from the outside. They talk about the Vatican, criticize the interventions of the hierarchy, get mad before certain acts of the Pope. The Church for them is an out-of-touch institution from which they live far away.
This isn’t the experience of those who feel that they are members of a believing community. For these, the concrete face of the Church is almost always their own parish. That group of personal friends who gather together each Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist. That place of encounter where they celebrate the faith and pray together near to God. That community where they baptize their children or say goodbye to their loved ones until the final encounter in another life.
For one who lives in the Church seeking in her the community of Jesus, the Church is almost always a source of joy and a motive of suffering. On the one hand, the Church is a stimulus and joy; we can experience within her the memory of Jesus, listen to his message, track his spirit, nourish our faith on the living God. On the other hand, the Church causes suffering, because we observe within her inconsistencies and routine; frequently the distance of what is preached and what is lived out is way too big; there’s a lack of gospel vitality; in many instances Jesus’ style is getting lost.
This is the Church’s greatest tragedy. Jesus is no longer loved or venerated as he was in the first communities. His originality isn’t known or understood. All too many won’t get to suspect in the least the saving experience that those first ones lived when they encountered him. We have made a Church where more than a few Christians imagine that by accepting some doctrines and fulfilling some religious practices, they are following Christ as did the first disciples.
And yet the essential nucleus of the Church consists in this: living the adhesion to Christ in community, making present the experience of those who encountered in him the nearness, the love and the forgiveness of God. That’s why maybe the most fundamental ecclesiastical text are these words of Jesus that we read in the Gospel: «Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst».
The first task of the Church is to learn to «gather together in Jesus’ name». Nourish his memory, live from his presence, make real their faith in God, open up today new paths to his Spirit. When this is lacking, everything runs the risk of ending up distorted by our mediocrity.
José Antonio Pagola
http://www.gruposdejesus.com
