Jesus and Fraternal Correction 23rd Sunday Year A (Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20)
The first reading and the Gospel passage are on fraternal correction. In the Gospel passage, Jesus lays out for his disciples the way he wants us to correct our brother or sister. Brant Pitre observes that the type of correction that Jesus is describing is that which takes place among Jesus’ disciples, for Jesus is addressing this instruction to his disciples: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you….”
According to Jesus’ expectation of how His disciples are to correct one another, we are first to approach another individually, and if the brother does not amend his way, then we are to bring one or two others along who witnessed the brother sinning and once again talk to the brother with the loving hope that the brother or sister will amend his or her way. (Deuteronomy 19:15) If this does not bring about the person amending his ways, then we are to bring the matter to the Church, which, comments Pitre, is the leaders of the community.[1]
Finally, if the person refuses to listen to the Church authorities, “then,” says Jesus, “treat them as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” The standard by which Jesus shows us how we are to treat Gentiles, or tax collectors, those who do not belong to our community, is Jesus himself, adds Pitre. [2]How did Jesus treat Gentiles or tax collectors? Jesus reached out to Gentiles and tax collectors, those who were considered lost and not members of the community, truthfully, lovingly, and respectfully by reaching out to them and inviting them to belong to his disciples and live according to His truthful teachings.
Essentially, Jesus’ teaching on how to correctly correct a fellow Christian is about correcting without shaming another. Before going further, it is important to define shame in relation to guilt. According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, we experience shame out of fear of public disgrace.[3] In contrast, we experience guilt as a consequence of having sinned against God, whether others know.
With this distinction in mind, may we return to Jesus’ process of correcting a fellow Christian. Jesus does not want us to bring about conversion by causing the one we are correcting to feel shame or to fear public embarrassment. Rather, we are to carefully encourage the person to be aware of the interior sense of guilt they may experience and then, in a loving, firm, and truthful way, invite them to repent and return to full communion with the community.
At the time of Jesus, the Romans kept social order, their Roman Peace, Pax Romana, by publicly shaming people. This is why Jesus, along with two criminals, was publicly humiliated by being crucified naked on a cross before a crowd of people. Jesus does not want us to be Roman-like to our brothers and sisters, but rather to take His gentle and firm approach, rooted firmly in truth.
Borrowing a prayer from Bob Schuchts, may we in “Jesus’ name, [we] announce the truth that Jesus died for [our] sins and that [we are] forgiven, washed, cleansed, justified, and accepted …. [We] announce the truth that Jesus did not come to condemn [us] but to save [us]…. [We] announce the truth that in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, [we are] forgiven and set free. [We] announce the truth that [we] are pure and worthy, not because of what [we] have done, but because of what Jesus has done for [us].”[4] May God bless you all – Father Peter
[1] Brant Pitre, “23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A),” catholicproductions.com.
[2] Brant Pitre, “23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A),” catholicproductions.com.
[3] Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theologiae,” newadvent.org, https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3144.htm, II-II, Question 144, Art. 2.
[4] Bob Schuchts, John Paul II Healing Retreat Workbook, 96. Schuchts cites 1 Corinthians 6; John 3:17-21, 8:10-11; Romans 8:1.
Catholic Evangelization 