August 14, 2019

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20
If your brother has sinned against you, go and point out the fault to him, when the two of you are alone; and if he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he doesn’t listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that the case may be decided by the evidence of two or three witnesses. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembled Church. But if he does not listen to the Church, then regard him as a pagan, or a tax collector.
I say to you: whatever you bind on earth, heaven will keep bound; and whatever you unbind on earth, heaven will keep unbound.
In like manner, I say to you, if, on earth, two of you agree In like manner, I say to you, if, on earth, two of you agree.

Reflections
“I am there among them.”
The early Christian Church/ communities was not free from discord, misunderstanding, hos­ tility, etc., in spite of the presence of the Jesus’ immediate disciples. Striking within the Christian com­ munities is the recognition of the presence of their risen Lord. They truly believe that the risen Jesus is with them.
To say that Jesus is in our midst, with us, means regarding our fellow humans with dignity; and treating them with love and understanding, even when they commit a mistake, when they misbehave, always allowing room for forgiveness and rec­ tification. It means respecting, caring for others as a sister and as a brother, praying only the good for them and not harm, and wishing them blessings of every kind, not misfortune. In our ecological age, it would also mean that Jesus is present in the natural world, in every “good” creature of God. That’s why our respect for human life needs to be extended in all forms of life on Earth, which bear and mani­ fest the love of God. It means recognizing the rights of other creatures for existence and their intrinsic value. This time, the pro­ noun“our” in the phrase“Jesus in our midst” includes both human and nonhuman creatures.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019