Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
“Looking Ahead” is our series focusing on the Sunday readings by Father Perry. This weeks’ reflection is from the readings of the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
“If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.”
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 unity is the call; and 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.
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
