Word to the Wise
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 - Wednesday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 9:1-7; 10:18-22 and Matt 18:15-20]"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." [Matthew]
AUGUST 14 ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE, OFM.CONV. - priest and martyr
Jesus' teaching about a process of reconciliation has all the markings of a modern-day "intervention!" Those are not easy events. They mean confronting another person with a situation and/or their behavior. I have often had the experience of someone asking me to speak to someone else about their behavior which is causing trouble for the one who asks me. When I respond by asking why not speak to the person yourself, I get the response, "Oh no! He/she/they will get angry with me!" Yes, that could happen, but the chances are that anger will occur no matter what.
Jesus' teaching in the Gospel According to Matthew is strong on reconciliation. In the Sermon on the Mount, at Matthew 5:23, Jesus places reconciliation before worship! In the Lord's prayer at Matthew 6:9-15, we cannot ask God for forgiveness unless we forgive others. This is reinforced in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant that comes soon after today's passage at Matthew 18:21-35. Today's passage offers a way of reconciliation.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are not quite the same. The other party must be forgiven even if they are unwilling to accept reconciliation. But the goal is to have both take place. This is one of the most difficult tasks of Christian life, but we are called to do it by the one who shows us the way all the way to the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" AMEN