Beyond the Gathering: Loving Through Conflict

Listening to the Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listening to the Word

Matthew 18: 15-20

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will bebound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Reflection

Today’s Gospel reading is very interesting to reflect on. Most of the faithful, when they read this story, focus only on the final part of the Gospel: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them” (Mt 18:20). They then interpret this as Jesus’ call to pray and gather in faith at church, at home, or wherever they meet. So, I ask you: Is that really the message of the Gospel? Let us reflect on this together.

In the context of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus was not talking about how to pray, but rather about how to resolve issues with someone who has sinned against you. Jesus provides practical guidance on how to treat a brother or sister who has sinned against you. The first approach is a private conversation: the two of you speak privately; you openly address the situation, explain their wrongdoing, and seek a solution together. If your brother or sister acknowledges it, then the matter is resolved. If not, then bring in two witnesses, in the hope that the person in question will admit their wrongdoing. If that still does not work, then use the second method: a community conversation. Within the larger community, involve a church leader, explain the problem, and ask the person in question to admit their wrongdoing. If that still does not work, Jesus says, “treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

The context is clear: When you follow the practical guidance Jesus provides, He will be there, helping you solve your problems and guiding you into the truth. However, not everyone is able to accept the truth. Not everyone is willing to acknowledge their mistakes. Therefore, treat them as sinners. The next question is: What do you do with that sinner?

This is interesting. I call it a paradoxical reality. For our brothers and sisters who have sinned, one thing not explicitly mentioned in the Gospel but important to reflect on is “love your neighbour.” This reading is in the middle of the story of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:10–14) and forgiving your brother seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21–35). They are key to understanding what it means to love those who have sinned. Jesus did not abandon those who have sinned; rather, He sought them out, found them, and brought them to the truth of God’s love. “Treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” does not mean leaving them to fend for themselves, but rat

her loving them because Jesus Himself sought them out, found them, ate with them, stayed in their homes, and forgave their sins. It’s beautiful, right? While people still think it is better to ignore sinners, Jesus does the opposite: He seeks them out, loves them, and forgives them. This is the paradox, and not everyone is able to understand this love of God.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, it is important for us to understand the context of the Gospel story. And today’s reading is truly beautiful, as Jesus invites us to go beyond our limits in how we treat others. Jesus promises to help us resolve issues with sinners through the lens of love. More than that, Jesus wants us to love those who have sinned even if they refuse to listen to us. What is greater than a sinner’s confession is that we continue to love them just as God loves me completely. Can we commit to faithfully loving those who have sinned?