Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  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.”

 

Yesterday, a dear friend had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor from his colon.  A group of us got together to join in a perpetual rosary during his surgery.  We prayed not only for him, but for the surgeons that they would be able to successfully remove the tumor and not have to undergo a radical surgery.  Twelve of us prayed for a successful surgery and God answered our prayers.  We came together as a group to seek the help of God. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is asking us to be a Spiritual Good Samaritan. Not only must we care for those with physical injuries, we are also called to care for those with spiritual injuries. Jesus tells us that “your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” If a person does something to injure you, then you should seek out this person and try to make amends. Jesus tells us if we do not try to repair the relationship, then we are worse than the person who caused the sin in the first place.

 

In the Our Father, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” How can we be forgiven for our own sins if we do not forgive those who have sinned against us? Today’s gospel reading takes it a step further, we must approach this person and let them know that they are forgiven. Our position should not be one of condemnation or judgment, but one of compassion and forgiveness. It is good to forgive and forget, but the person who sinned against you is still wounded. Their soul is damaged by the sin they committed. Therefore, we are called to repair that wound. The prayers we prayed for healing not only helped Scott’s physical ailments, it enjoined the entire group on a spiritual realm allowing us to become part of his hurt and his healing.  This is the same thing Jesus is telling us to do when someone sins against us.  We must enjoin with them and become part of the spiritual healing of the soul.  By doing so, we mend the bonds that have been broken reuniting us as one body in Christ.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, forgive me for I am a sinner.

But before you forgive me, give me the strength to forgive others who have sinned against me.

Give me the strength and courage to encounter them and to heal this wound.

Make me a source of healing love and peace in this world so that we may become one Body in Christ.

 

Sincerely

Michael Marcon