Oppressive clouds and destructive winds of division, polarization, tribalism, nationalism, racial unrest, violence, and war continue to swirl and can wear down and weary us. If we stay focused on the chaos, we can rip ourselves apart, especially when we engage in reacting to the lack of respect in kind. Then instead of being a healing salve, we contribute to our and other’s unrest. Our Gospel today offers some hope.
The opening and close of today’s Gospel reading is very telling: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone’ ” (Mt 18:15) and “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Jesus provides for us a model and he himself is the source for engaging with conflict with the goal of healing and reconciliation.
Jesus offered the steps for coming together to resolve disharmony. First one to one, then three two one, then if the person still does not see their error, bringing in the elders and leaders of the Church. Each is an appeal to the conscience of the individual who has offended, who has sinned, who has caused harm, and at the foundation of each attempt is the intent to not bring a brother or sister back, not to knock them down with condemnation but appeal to them through conviction. Jesus insists that we resist the temptations of gossip, character assassination, and dehumanization. In this way, we can work to hold each other accountable in love, and invite a movement toward reconciliation and mutual respect.
Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, as God has loved us. We are to embrace the gift and grace of our own God given dignity and diversity. Each one of us are a unique gift and expression of our loving God and Father that no one has nor ever will again express. Yet, we will not attain the harmony and peace of Jesus’ call for unity if we keep making decisions rooted in our fear and prejudices, if we continue to crouch and operate from a defensive posture and feed our insecurities.
On our own initiative, from a posture of I am right and you are wrong, and even with the best of intentions, we will fall short, for “with human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26). As we deal with conflict and division, we need to resist reacting, give another the benefit of the doubt, and see each other as human beings first and foremost. With two or more, not enter into gossip and slander, but instead be willing to pray with and for one another, knowing and trusting that Jesus will be with us. Jesus, who spoke and stilled the storm, can speak in and through us to quiet the storms of our own chaos within as well as the winds of chaos without.
When we are willing to unite in prayer, to accompany one another, to seek reconciliation, and to work together to resolve our conflicts, there will be a clear path toward peace. St Paul in his willingness to be transformed by Jesus got this. We are to love our neighbor as ourself, for “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10). Even though the darkness and gathering gloom of division, dehumanization, polarization, and prejudice appears to be growing, let us place our standard in the love of Christ. Let us meet hate with love, division with reconciliation, and see each other as beloved daughters and sons of God.
Photo: “[T]he light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
Spiritual Stepping Stones 