First,
as we enjoy the blessing of fine weather, let us remember in our
prayers the people of Florida, Houston, and the Caribbean who are
suffering the effects of the hurricanes. Lord, look kindly upon them.
*
* *
We've
all been in an argument. And sometimes its a big argument. An
argument about religion or politics-- or even bigger: about marriage
or getting sober or you name it. Jesus knows that we argue. And part
of the reason why we argue is because we care. We care about people
and we care about the Truth. Jesus knows this and He knows that
sometimes in those arguments our pride can get in the way. The pride
of having to be right. Or, if we are on the receiving end, the pride
of not wanting to be wrong.
Enter
today's Gospel.
Jesus
says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone.”
So
Jesus is concerned about sin. And He tells us that we are to talk to
people about this. “Son of Man,” he says in the first reading
from Ezekiel, “I have appointed you watchman for the house of
Israel; … you shall warn them for me. … If 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.”
In
other words, when Cain killed Abel, God asked Cain, “Where is your
brother?” And Cain responded by saying, “What, am I my brother's
keeper?”
Yes.
Yes you are. So, yes, if you are a person of love (are we are all
trying to be), then you want more for your neighbor than the wages of
sin. You want eternal life for them. That means that we must tell
people about the Truth, no matter what. We must live our faith out
loud. Jesus died publicly on the Cross-- not privately. Christianity
must be lived publicly, not privately.
If
there is anything that should be private, it is that we are to “tell
him his fault between you and him alone.” Alone. No gossip. (Isn't
that interesting? When someone hurts us, we like to tell everyone
about it. But when it comes to the Truth of Jesus, it's so easy to
tell no one about it). Jesus knows this, so He tells us that, if we
have been hurt, tell only the one. No facebook. Don't write anonymous
reviews or write anonymous letters.
If
it is important to say anything about it, then you must talk with the
person, personally and gently, face to face. This is loving. Do it
over a cup of coffee or a beer. Be relaxed and courteous, show them
somehow that you love them. But be firm. “This is important. And I
love you. That's why I'm saying this.”
And
maybe they don't listen to you. And that's humbling-- nothing pricks
our pride more than someone not caring what we say. (Welcome to the
club). But don't get angry. You're just passing on what you are
supposed to be passing on. It's not about you. It's about Jesus
coming to meet your brother. That's what this is all about.
And
so, Jesus promises: “If [your brother] listens to you, you have won
over your brother.” Thanks be to God!
*
* *
Now,
here's the thing: sometimes we're wrong. Sometimes we think we have a
good grasp on the truth, but maybe we don't. Maybe we have misjudged.
Or maybe we have spent all our capital by being nagging or prideful
in our approaches. Sometimes our neighbor doesn't seem to have any
reason to listen to us because we've been a stranger or we've been
scandalous in the way we have lived.
Jesus
knows about that, too. So, He says: “If [your brother] does
not listen [to you], take one or two others along with you, so that
'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three
witnesses.'” So, if your neighbor has no reason to believe you,
maybe he'll believe the others. Maybe they are more trustworthy.
See,
Jesus is trying to give your neighbor every chance to believe. This
is the way that you prove to your neighbor that this is not a
personal vendetta, that you aren't coming with a personal agenda.
And
it's also humbling for us because, when we bring this issue to two
others, we are submitting our judgment to theirs-- it's humble to
say: “Maybe I am in the wrong. Maybe, before I go any further in
calling my brother on to holiness, maybe I need to make sure that I'm
not in the wrong here.” So we ask two others about it. And if the
say, “yeah, you're right,” ok, now go with them and talk to your
brother again.
After
all, our Lord promises: “Whenever two or more are gathered in my
name, there am I in their midst.” … See? This is all about Jesus
coming to your neighbor.
*
* *
Now,
let's be brutally honest: very few like to hear how they are supposed
to become better. Yet, for as much as we don't like to hear that, we
all know that we all have room to grow. Pride is dumb like that
because even if it admits that it needs to change, it still won't
listen to anybody. The result is that the prideful person becomes
alienated, bitter, and lonely.
Jesus
is saying: “Won't you listen to me?”
In
my own life, I have found that when someone comes to me with the
courage to say, “Hey, Father Gerber, have you ever thought about
doing such and such?” Or, a friend who calls me out for not being
joyful enough or faithful enough-- that's gold in my book. I want to
become a saint. And I know the courage it has taken them to give me
constructive criticism.
So,
if two
or more people
would come to me and talk humbly to me about a problem-- woah!-- I
know it is best for me to listen!
*
* *
But
even then, some people don't. So, Jesus gives a third chance: “If
[your brother] refuses to listen to them, then tell the church.”
The
heavy artillery. This is the final authority. This goes back to the
past two weeks' conversation about Peter. About how he has the keys
and how he is the servant that opens and shuts.
So,
when Jesus says “Tell the Church,” He's saying: this is the last
chance.
That's
amazing, isn't it? How many people think that, when the Church
speaks, that is the last chance for conversion? So many people simply
dismiss what “the Church” says as if she was just another voice
in the public square. But that's the thing: she isn't just another
voice. All of these points of advice from Jesus-- about coming as a
loving individual, about coming as a group and so on-- all of this is
about Jesus coming to the person. The Church is not just another
voice-- it IS Jesus' voice.
But
I know: one of the reasons why people simply dismiss what the Church
says is because some bishops and priests have spoken out of turn.
What I mean by that is, too many priests and bishops (and I count
myself as guilty in this, too) have spoken from ambos just like this
one and declared something to be absolutely true and dogmatic when,
in reality, it wasn't. And people sense that error and they lose
trust in their clergy.
Priests
and bishops, therefore, need to be exceedingly aware of this great
trust, this great stewardship of actual doctrine and the treasure of
souls, and the essential requirement to be measured in their speech
and absolutely certain that what they say is true. If the Church is
the final voice of Christ, then wow! We priests and deacons and
bishops must be very measured indeed. We must present the entire
Truth in all its height and breadth and length and depth, in all its
rigor and vigor. (Catechesi tradendae 5 and 30, citing Eph 3:18).
Take
the situation of immigration. There have been some that have come out
with zealous opinions on current decisions regarding immigration. But
the issue is multifaceted and quite complex: even the Catechism notes
that immigrants have the duty to “obey [the] laws” of the land
and to “assist in carrying civic burdens” (#2241) like paying
taxes and so on. So, while we are called to “welcome the foreigner”
and the “stranger”-- as Jesus and the same Catechism paragraph
notes-- the Church also recognizes that countries have rights and
immigrants have duties. Have we heard both sides of this coin?
Indeed, failure to express this whole message is a failure to express
the Truth. And people sense that. And they lose trust. And they don't
listen-- and in that case, rightly so.
This
is why we must especially pray for bishops and priests and deacons--
those who are entrusted as the final say in the whole line of Jesus'
gospel here. Because if they are ignorant or blinded by the pride of
a false compassion-- then... God help us-- who are we supposed to
listen to?
Humility
and wisdom are essential for the clergy; likewise, a sense of
self-critique and self-analysis too.
*
* *
And
lest we become hypocritical: while we expect it of the clergy, do we
then also expect it of ourselves? Am I open to critique? Am I
offended or get defensive if someone challenges me? Have I learned to
see challenge and correction as a blessing from God? In it, can I see
Jesus coming to me, loving me so as to purify me and make me stronger
than gold seven times refined, a greater instrument of His grace?
Hear
Jesus' last words on the matter: “If [they] refuse to listen even
to the church, then treat [them] as you would a Gentile or a tax
collector.”
In
other words: If the person is so prideful that they will not listen
to Jesus in you-- if they are so prideful that they will not listen
to Jesus in the group-- if they are so prideful that they will not
trust Jesus in the Church … well, what can you do?
Write
them off? No.
What
did Jesus do for Gentiles and tax collectors? He lived for them; He
died for them; He prayed and He sacrificed for them. That is what we
are to do-- for our fallen away; for our clergy; for one another.
And,
when you realize that people have done the same for you-- as people
have done for me-- when someone comes to you with a heart full of
love and says, “Hey, I want more for you. Come walk this path
instead of that”-- know that it's Jesus. Don't get defensive.
Welcome him. And say thank you. He loves you and He is leading you to
the holy life.
