Daily Retreat 09/07/08
2008 Sep 7 SUN: TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Ez 33: 7-9/ Ps 94(95): 1-2. 6-7. 8-9 (8)/ Rom 13: 8-10/ Mt 18: 15-20
From today’s readings: “You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel.... If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.... Love is the fulfillment of the law.... If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.... ”
On preventing blowouts...
It is a trait of our human nature to tend to concentrate on the failings of others, often overlooking or brushing aside our own faults, even though, as a general rule, it should be exactly the opposite: you and I should first focus on doing something about our own sins before even thinking about how to broach the subject with our neighbors about their imperfections.
But, provided that we are thus taking care of first things first, scripture reminds us that it is NOT Christian to utterly ignore the sins of others close to us, it is NOT Christian to merely shrug our shoulders and say, “Oh well, that’s his problem. Oh well, she’ll have to deal with that herself.”
Not too long ago, a stranger pointed out that the right front tire on my car was a bit flat. Because of the warning, I was able to stop and address the problem before I had a blowout. Needless to say, I was grateful to the kind person who was watching out for me.
The tire was entirely my responsibility, so strictly speaking, the stranger had no obligation to go out of his way to warn me of possible peril. And yet, it’s clear that giving me that warning was the decent thing to do, the Christian thing to do. It would have been cold-hearted for the other person to have shrugged his shoulders and left me without a word of warning, perhaps thinking to himself, “Well, I’m glad my tires are fully inflated - I sure don’t need to worry about anyone else!”
If it’s the right thing to warn another about a partially deflated tire and potential blowout, then it’s also the right thing to warn another about a partially deflated moral character and potential spiritual blowout. This is, in fact, what love demands! But love first demands addressing our own moral deflation, the “planks” in our own eyes, as Jesus teaches elsewhere in the Gospel.
And then, when the right time comes to give warnings to others, always doing that in a loving manner. As Jesus explains, “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.... If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church....” Because without the timely warnings God gives us through each other, through His Church, each one of us would soon end up with a tragic blowout that could and should have been prevented!
Ez 33: 7-9/ Ps 94(95): 1-2. 6-7. 8-9 (8)/ Rom 13: 8-10/ Mt 18: 15-20
From today’s readings: “You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel.... If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.... Love is the fulfillment of the law.... If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.... ”
On preventing blowouts...
It is a trait of our human nature to tend to concentrate on the failings of others, often overlooking or brushing aside our own faults, even though, as a general rule, it should be exactly the opposite: you and I should first focus on doing something about our own sins before even thinking about how to broach the subject with our neighbors about their imperfections.
But, provided that we are thus taking care of first things first, scripture reminds us that it is NOT Christian to utterly ignore the sins of others close to us, it is NOT Christian to merely shrug our shoulders and say, “Oh well, that’s his problem. Oh well, she’ll have to deal with that herself.”
Not too long ago, a stranger pointed out that the right front tire on my car was a bit flat. Because of the warning, I was able to stop and address the problem before I had a blowout. Needless to say, I was grateful to the kind person who was watching out for me.
The tire was entirely my responsibility, so strictly speaking, the stranger had no obligation to go out of his way to warn me of possible peril. And yet, it’s clear that giving me that warning was the decent thing to do, the Christian thing to do. It would have been cold-hearted for the other person to have shrugged his shoulders and left me without a word of warning, perhaps thinking to himself, “Well, I’m glad my tires are fully inflated - I sure don’t need to worry about anyone else!”
If it’s the right thing to warn another about a partially deflated tire and potential blowout, then it’s also the right thing to warn another about a partially deflated moral character and potential spiritual blowout. This is, in fact, what love demands! But love first demands addressing our own moral deflation, the “planks” in our own eyes, as Jesus teaches elsewhere in the Gospel.
And then, when the right time comes to give warnings to others, always doing that in a loving manner. As Jesus explains, “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.... If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church....” Because without the timely warnings God gives us through each other, through His Church, each one of us would soon end up with a tragic blowout that could and should have been prevented!
posted by FrPitstick | 9/05/2008
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