杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

Ahead of the traditional Marian prayer of the Angelus, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the day鈥檚 Gospel (Mt 18:15-20), in which Jesus speaks about fraternal correction.

The 杏MAP导航 said the episode invites us to consider two dimensions of the Christian life: the communitarian, 鈥渨hich demands safeguarding communion鈥� and the personal, 鈥渨hich obliges attention and respect for every individual conscience.鈥�

Jesus, said the Holy Father, offers a three-step approach to correcting our brother or sister who has sinned.

Step 1: Discretely admonish

First, we are invited to discretely admonish that person, 鈥渘ot to judge him but to help him realize what he has done.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis admitted that it is not easy to take this first step. 鈥淭here is the fear that the brother may react badly; at times you may lack sufficient confidence with him.... And other reasons.鈥�

Step 2: Get help

Afterwards, if the person has not repented, Jesus urges us to seek out the help of other sisters and brothers.

杏MAP导航 Francis said this second step differs from a precept in the Law of Moses, which required the presence of two or three witnesses in order to condemn someone.

鈥淭he two witnesses are called not to accuse and judge, but to help,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航.

Step 3: Tell the Church

The third step to be taken if someone persists in their error, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, is to bring the matter to the Church community.

鈥淭here are things that can have an impact on other brothers and sisters: it takes a greater love to rehabilitate the brother.鈥�

Last-ditch measure

However, noted the 杏MAP导航, sometimes even this communitarian intervention fails. In this case, Jesus says the person should be treated 鈥渁s you would a Gentile or a tax collector.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that this expression could be seen as pejorative.

In reality, he said, this drastic measure 鈥渋nvites us to put the brother in God's hands: only the Father will be able to show a greater love than that of all brothers and sisters put together.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 pointed out that Jesus welcomed Gentiles and tax collectors, causing scandal to the "conformists" of His time.

Gossip hurts the community

The 杏MAP导航 went on to consider what happens when we choose to gossip about a member of the community, rather than follow the path of fraternal correction.

鈥淲hen we see a brother or sister make a mistake or with a defect,鈥� said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渢he first thing we do is go tell others about it. We gossip.鈥�

Gossip, he added, closes a person's heart to the community and hurts the Church's unity, since the devil is the great gossiper who seeks to sow discord.

鈥淧lease, brothers and sisters, let us make an effort not to gossip,鈥� added the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淐hatter is a plague more awful than Covid!鈥�

Healthy use of fraternal correction

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis prayed that the Blessed Virgin Mary might help us make fraternal correction 鈥渁 healthy practice, so that in our communities ever new fraternal relationships, founded on mutual forgiveness and above all on the invincible power of God's mercy, may be instilled.鈥�