Fraternal Correction
How much more constructive is Jesus's method, which squarely seeks to
address the faults in kindness.
The Christian faith
is not so much a package of beliefs as it is a personal relationship of love
with Jesus Christ. But although we Christians are disciples and followers of
Jesus Christ, and He is at the center of our faith, our Lord Himself taught
that faith can never be limited to just "Jesus and me" - our
relationship with Christ is intimately integrated with our relationships with
others, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, for instance,
Jesus draws up a very practical and charitable program of fraternal correction,
beginning with, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his
fault between you and him alone." Our fallen human nature prefers to
gossip or brood about grievances, but those approaches tend to merely multiply
the faults - how much more constructive is Jesus's method, which squarely seeks
to address the faults in kindness. Most of us, I hope, can recall a time when
someone we had wronged treated us in this way, making it much easier and more
appealing for us to be reconciled.
Jesus outlines
additional steps that can be taken if needed, but if the first step is only
followed faithfully, there will be fewer occasions when recourse must be made
to those additional steps. This very day, then, is the golden opportunity for
you and me to prayerfully consider any case in which another has veritably
sinned against us, and rather than gossiping or brooding about it, with lavish
sincerity of charity, to simply do what Jesus tells us to do.