A Job Nobody Wants

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflecting on the Word

By Rev. James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R.

We can respond in different ways when someone wrongs us: we can ignore the  offense, cut off the offender, announce our anger or hurt, or be equally offensive.  Perhaps you have tried each of these. Jesus sets out another way for his disciples.  First, go to the person and point out the failure; if that doesn’t work, take another  with you; if that doesn’t work, “refer it to the church.” And if that doesn’t work,  “treat the person as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” 

This last remark could sound like even Jesus put limits on what you had to do  to bring a person around, especially since tax collectors were generally held in  contempt and Gentiles kept at a distance. But this wasn’t so for Jesus; these were  the very ones he reached out to. So, his last remark indicates that you never stop  trying to win over another. 

These words are part of Jesus’ fourth speech in Matthew’s Gospel, focused  on life within the community of his followers. They are to be a community of  reconciliation. This call to engage in fraternal correction has got to be one of the  more difficult aspects of living out the way of Jesus, by loving others enough to  tell them when they are committing a wrong. It’s frequently much easier to let it  slide or move away from the person altogether.

Paul’s exhortation to “owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another”  finds fulfillment in this difficult area of fraternal correction. Such love fulfills the  law. 

Consider/Discuss

  • How do you react when someone wrongs you? 
  • Do you see any value in the process Jesus sets out here? 
  • Do you accept that being a church community means correcting  those who do wrong? 

Responding to the Word

We may need to ask God for the courage to face those who have wronged us  and tell them of their failure. We pray to the Spirit whose work is to bring about  unity, strengthening the bonds of love between all disciples so that this love may  extend to all creation.

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