S. FAUSTI - "You will have won back your brother," says Jesus to the one who has succeeded in bringing a sinner to acknowledge his mistake. In fact, he restored fraternity: he is no longer only and where two brothers are together, the Father is pleased and the Son is with them. Ttruth should be done in charity (Eph 4:15), but charity is never separated from truth. The primacy is always of love; but this is manifested both in seeking the lost and in enlightening him in the loss; and eventually forgiving him, anyway. What they said about fraternal correction seems in contradiction with the not judging, with the search of the reconciliation, with the parable of the darnels (13,24). In fact, the fraternal correction is a sign of great love: it is possible in a community where everyone is accepted within his limits, he is not judged if he is wrong, he is absolved if he is guilty,he is sought after if he is lost, he is forgiven if he sins anyway. A person, only if accepted and to the extent that it is accepted, it is willing to accept any comments without feeling those as an aggression. The fraternal correction is indispensable because our being together was for the best and not for the worst. It is a concrete way to find out it who is lost so that it is not lost: it is the highest expression of mercy. The fraternal correction is the exact opposite of the scandal. If this neglects the brother and leads him to evil, the correction cares for him and removes him from evil. If the scandal loses, the correction earns the brother. In fact, sin breaks up the fraternity. If you forgive you restore it only in half: you are a brother but the other not yet, until when he acknowledges the mistake and accepts the forgiveness. Correction, when it succeeds, restores fraternity on both sides. They have to try all the ways to bring the lost back at home. First face to face , then with the mediation of others, and, if necessary, of the itself community. Those who do not want to change one's mind , they will be esteemed as pagans and sinners It is not judgment or condemnation, but medicine, because the lost acknowledges his evil and could repent himself. Considering one as pagan and public sinner does not mean excluding him from his own love: Jesus is friend of pagans and sinners, he has come to save what is lost and He will send His disciples to all the pagans. The community has the same power as Peter, who is the same as his Lord. Making present on earth the judgment of the Father Lord of heaven, Who does not want to lose any of His little ones. To have this spirit is necessary fraternal prayer, addressed to the Father who guarantees us the presence of the Son. Jesus, as being the Good Shepherd, He is also the Son. He earns the brothers to Father's Mercy by accepting the sinners and by persuading of sin those who think to be ones . The Church has received the same power as Jesus, and must use it in the same way. The common prayer, which guarantees the presence of the Son, it gets from the Father the strength to live the gift of helping and being together for the better. A Christian community is spiritually mature in proportion as it is capable of exercising fraternal correction. It is useful to bear in mind that it is proposed at the center of the community talk, after eighteen chapters of instruction. We are tempted to put it at the beginning of the first chapter!
Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, " and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself. Responsorial Psalm PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: "Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works." R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Reading 2 ROM 13:8-10
Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, " and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Alleluia 2 COR 5:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel MT 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."
S. FAUSTI - "You will have won back your brother," says Jesus to the one who has succeeded in bringing a sinner to acknowledge his mistake. In fact, he restored fraternity: he is no longer only and where two brothers are together, the Father is pleased and the Son is with them.
RispondiEliminaTtruth should be done in charity (Eph 4:15), but charity is never separated from truth.
The primacy is always of love; but this is manifested both in seeking the lost and in enlightening him in the loss; and eventually forgiving him, anyway.
What they said about fraternal correction seems in contradiction with the not judging, with the search of the reconciliation, with the parable of the darnels (13,24). In fact, the fraternal correction is a sign of great love: it is possible in a community where everyone is accepted within his limits, he is not judged if he is wrong, he is absolved if he is guilty,he is sought after if he is lost, he is forgiven if he sins anyway.
A person, only if accepted and to the extent that it is accepted, it is willing to accept any comments without feeling those as an aggression.
The fraternal correction is indispensable because our being together was for the best and not for the worst. It is a concrete way to find out it who is lost so that it is not lost: it is the highest expression of mercy.
The fraternal correction is the exact opposite of the scandal. If this neglects the brother and leads him to evil, the correction cares for him and removes him from evil.
If the scandal loses, the correction earns the brother.
In fact, sin breaks up the fraternity. If you forgive you restore it only in half: you are a brother but the other not yet, until when he acknowledges the mistake and accepts the forgiveness.
Correction, when it succeeds, restores fraternity on both sides.
They have to try all the ways to bring the lost back at home. First face to face , then with the mediation of others, and, if necessary, of the itself community.
Those who do not want to change one's mind , they will be esteemed as pagans and sinners
It is not judgment or condemnation, but medicine, because the lost acknowledges his evil and could repent himself. Considering one as pagan and public sinner does not mean excluding him from his own love: Jesus is friend of pagans and sinners, he has come to save what is lost and He will send His disciples to all the pagans.
The community has the same power as Peter, who is the same as his Lord.
Making present on earth the judgment of the Father Lord of heaven, Who does not want to lose any of His little ones.
To have this spirit is necessary fraternal prayer, addressed to the Father who guarantees us the presence of the Son.
Jesus, as being the Good Shepherd, He is also the Son. He earns the brothers to Father's Mercy by accepting the sinners and by persuading of sin those who think to be ones .
The Church has received the same power as Jesus, and must use it in the same way.
The common prayer, which guarantees the presence of the Son, it gets from the Father the strength to live the gift of helping and being together for the better.
A Christian community is spiritually mature in proportion as it is capable of exercising fraternal correction. It is useful to bear in mind that it is proposed at the center of the community talk, after eighteen chapters of instruction. We are tempted to put it at the beginning of the first chapter!
Reading 1 EZ 33:7-9
RispondiEliminaThus says the LORD:
You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, "
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way,
and he refuses to turn from his way,
he shall die for his guilt,
but you shall save yourself.
Responsorial Psalm PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Reading 2 ROM 13:8-10
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, "
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Alleluia 2 COR 5:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 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."