That is the Gospel “hoped for” response to someone who has sinned against you.
What you should not do is: talk badly about them to others, reject them outright, make sure they pay dearly, find a way to embarrass or humiliate them for their error, judge them, refuse to have anything to do with them in the future, exclude them, teach them a lesson.
Jesus’ way is simple and clear.
The intended purpose is to bring about repentance, reconciliation and healing. The hope is that the community would not experience a rift or division, but hold together with the power of love.
Jesus gives a method for dealing with someone who has sinned against you or the community.
The challenge he lays down is the hard work of addressing people directly, honestly, repeatedly, and prayerfully.
What is at stake is the very essence and nature of the Christian community as the Body of Christ.
If one part hurts, we all hurt. When one part is reconciled, the whole body experiences healing reconciliation.
Preserving the unity is the call — the unity that is, at times, so delicate and barely held in balance is guided by this scripture.
There is one piece of Jesus’ challenge that is probably most often forgotten and is probably the most important piece of all; it is spoken in the final lines of the Gospel today.
It is both a promise and the fruit of our spiritual connection with him.
He says: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Anything and everything that we do in prayer that brings about a spirit of inner peace and tranquility always works out better.
To address someone directly, honestly, repeatedly, and prayerfully is different.
The fact that we go to prayer introduces us to the deepest truth that God has a place in this process. It removes the illusion that we are in control of the outcome. It opens the way for grace and spirit and the power of love (God is love!) to guide the process and help to bring about a graced conclusion.
Differences of opinion, offenses and hurts, stubbornness, lack of cooperation, and divisions are a part of every community: family, neighborhood, clubs, states, nations, world communities, and the church.
We are at war now. We see how deeply divided we can become, and what are the costs and consequences of division.
Jesus also gives a way to talk, to listen, to open, and to experience his presence among us.
And his way promises a real possibility of healing and reconciliation.
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
