A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 18:15 - 20

If your brother or sister listens to you, you will have won that person back.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’

Gospel Reflection

This week’s gospel provides us with a lesson that could be well heeded in our contemporary world. Matthew relates a discourse on dealing with a grievance or sin between two ‘brothers’ – community members; fellow disciples. Matthew advises his audience that the first step is to try to resolve the matter privately between the offender and the one offended. This is a practice that seems to have almost disappeared today. When one person feels offended or hurt by another, it seems the last thing they do is to go and speak to the person, confront them with the hurt and try to resolve it. Soap operas and TV sitcoms promote avoidance of issues. The sub-text of so many TV shows is about lying to cover up a mistake; seeking revenge for some perceived (usually incorrect) insult; or working through others to try to deal with some hurt. If characters on these TV shows were to confront one another with a perceived hurt and seek to resolve the difference between them, then there would be no ‘drama’ to play out in the show. Admittedly, it doesn’t make for great television, but it does make for much better relationships!

Matthew advises his community that only after a failed attempt to address an issue face to face should other members of the community become involved to further confront the offender through witnessing to their fault. The third step is to bring the person before the church community to be confronted with their actions and only after these three attempts to challenge the person fail should they be shunned.

There is a very strong message of reconciliation that comes through this process. The person is given every chance to face their error and to seek amends with the one they have hurt. The whole process works towards bringing the community back together in harmony, not to seek revenge and punishment.

Historical Context – Tell the Church

The idea of bringing a ‘sinner’ or offender before the church community to be confronted is one that the early Christians borrowed from the Jewish culture out of which they were formed. In Jewish society, the local synagogue was effectively a community centre. It was a gathering place, not only for worship and education, but also for meeting, debating and seeking solutions to problems. The synagogue community took on the role of mediator, witness, jury, judge and, if needed, punisher. The role of the scribes in Jewish society was to interpret the Law - the Torah - in resolving everyday situations.

Scriptural context – A Scriptural Sandwich

The placement of this discourse about confronting your brother within the gospel of Matthew helps to shed light on its meaning. Immediately preceding this passage is the parable of the Lost Sheep, about leaving the 99 to go out in search of the one lost sheep. Immediately following this week’s passage is the parable of the unmerciful or unforgiving servant who, despite receiving forgiveness of his own debt from his master, throws a fellow servant in debtors prison for failing to pay back money owed. The three passages together give a detailed discourse on forgiveness and reconciliation – dealing with those who have sinned, even against you personally and the powerful call to compassion and mercy.

Living the Gospel – Facing the issue

It can be very difficult when we feel that someone has hurt us to actually go and speak to them about how we are feeling. It is so much easier to revel in our hurt or seek payback for the hurt. Sometimes we feel that we might ruin a friendship by speaking to our friend about a way in which they have hurt us. But a hurt that goes unaddressed will continue to hurt and will probably be repeated. This week’s gospel reminds us of the need to challenge our friends when they hurt us but it also reminds us that when we have hurt others we need to be challenged about it and called to account for our actions.

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