THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE – Mt 18:15-20
“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! Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Today's Word of God touches upon the most important contemporary challenge for a Christian. How to admonish someone when everything is "personal", "mine", "own" ... Electronic equipment very popular nowadays has the English "I" in its name that is my phone, my computer, my reader, etc. Practically all newly built housing estates in large cities are closed, isolated and guarded. People pay to not meet "unnecessary" people. Advertisement tell us to be the best, first, and unique. Only me and my affairs are important, and today Jesus makes me look at someone who is next to me and who is having problems.
Why should I admonish someone? Jesus says it is to “won over your brother." And here we really touch the essence of the Church, community and family. Very often you can hear stories among family and friends about someone who is lost in life, cannot cope, has fallen into trouble or addictions. More and more often, I have the impression that these stories are rather a kind of "filler" and not to save, help, or advise the "subject". This is bad for our sense of community. It does not hurt me that someone close to me has problems that my community is falling apart, or rather, I am excited that someone is falling more and more. This is very bad! And you always have to ask yourself how to change it, what can we do? How to proceed not only to describe reality, but to specifically change something to make it better?
Prophet Ezekiel teach us:" If, however, you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, but they do not, then they shall die in their sins, but you shall save your life" (Ezekiel 33:9) Convert someone from the wrong path…; I think each of us would like do that. According to the Prophet Ezekiel, however, this is not just a privilege, but a duty to "save my soul." It must be clearly stated that I have a duty to admonish the erring person, but beware, according to the Gospel prescription. I have a duty to be interested in what is happening behind my wall or behind my neighbor's fence. I have a duty to care for the salvation of my family, friends, acquaintances and community. I have a duty!
Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them
These words of the Lord Jesus were wonderfully commented by Saint Ignatius of Antioch in about 108, i.e. almost 1,900 years ago. Our Lord said, Saint Ignatius commented, that where two or three are gathered in his name, he is among them. So great is the power to pray together! So think, brethren, how powerful the power of this prayer must be when it is not two or three, but the whole Church gathering for the Eucharist!
It is difficult to imagine anything more intimate than faith, but at the same time faith, by its very nature, requires community. Faith is giving oneself to a God who loves. It is discovering again and again that I am a child of God. Then one realizes that I am not the only child of God, that God has billions of His children. From another angle, let us look at this need for community in faith. We receive many gifts from God directly, but also many gifts God wants to give us in such a way that we, His children, give it each other. It is so because God cares that we, His children, are bound by bonds of mutual love. Single faith is similar to a spark that flew out of a fire - it is rather certain that it will go out. We need a community of faith so that we can share and give the light of faith, stimulate one another to fervent faith, to be faithful to God's commandments, etc.
But these words "where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them" are especially true of the Christian family. As you know, a family built on the sacrament of marriage is a small Church. What does it mean? The Church is, first of all, a place of God's saving presence among people, a place where one can meet God particularly closely and receive from him light, strength and grace. My family is a small Church if all of us - or at least those who understand it - care that prayer and faith really shine on our family life.
Secondly, the Church, the temple, is also a place where sacrifices are made pleasing to God. Sacrifice is faithfulness to good also when it is difficult. It is such fidelity to good that pleases God. My family is so much more than a small Church, as there are more things happening in it that please God.
Thirdly, the Church - the place of God's special presence among people - is also to be a place of special witness both to one another and to people from outside. It is also worth referring to the family as a small Church. Then these words of the Lord Jesus that where two or three gather in His name, there He is among them - will apply very realistically to my family as well.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george