Gospel Lectio Divina for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time -September 10, 2023
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
READ
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."
MEDITATE
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”
By resolving things this way, we lower the chances of gossip. If we can reconcile with someone who has sinned against us without telling anyone else, then no one else needs to know about it. That is the ideal. So many times, I remain hurt by someone who has sinned against me simply because I am too afraid or too lazy to confront them about it. But to tell the person directly that what he did was wrong, and clear up the matter, is a way of loving him. I don’t want the sin to remain on his soul or mine. Telling other people about what he did to me before even talking to him about it will just spread the sin around more, like smearing a stain. Sin is like a fire that needs to be put out as quickly as possible. If we don’t stomp it out quickly, it often spreads like wildfire the more people gossip about it. By going directly to the person who sinned against me and asking him to forgive me, I am doing what I can to keep the fire contained. If my brother and I cannot resolve the matter peacefully, only then do I need to call in the firemen.
Take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
This is also a wise move, because—even though I may have been offended by my brother’s actions—that doesn’t necessarily mean he sinned against me. This instruction requires humility because it forces us to acknowledge that we could be wrong. I could think my neighbor sinned against me when he really didn’t. Of course, my brother could decide to lie about the whole situation, in which case it would just be his words against mine. But when we talk to people close to us about a difficult situation, they often offer a fresh perspective that helps us better understand our brother’s actions. Jesus is teaching us how to keep the peace. If there is no reason for something to escalate, let’s just keep it low key. If someone has sinned against me, everyone I know doesn’t need to know.
So the reason for bringing one or two more people into the conversation is not to put pressure on my brother or neighbor. It’s to give my brother a jury, and perhaps even a chance to defend himself. Jesus knows human nature very well. He knows that a good number of times, someone who sinned against another person is more likely to admit the truth when challenged to do so in front of a crowd instead of just in front of the one he offended. On the other hand, if your brother did no wrong and you bring one or two more people before him to try and admit he did do something wrong, his own desire for justice may win the day. So, again, Jesus knows our nature too well to be outsmarted. He knows that just because someone is claiming that his brother sinned against him does not mean his brother actually did.
This approach also supports the concept of subsidiarity. It shows how, if possible, a problem should be solved by the parties most closely affected by the problem. More people and higher authorities should only get involved once all simpler means have been exhausted. If my neighbor and I can resolve the matter without calling in anyone else, that is ideal. If three or four people can resolve the matter, that is better than calling on the Church to resolve it. The more parties we bring into the issue the more complicated it will become, and it’s best to keep things simple when we can.
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.
I just noticed the symmetry between the first part and the second part of this passage. If two people agree to make amends after one sinned against the other, forgiveness shall be granted. Likewise, if two people agree about anything for which they pray, it shall be granted. Jesus is showing the power of prayer and forgiveness. There is no greater bond than the one formed by praying together. Add to that the power to forgive each other, and the humility to ask for forgiveness, and you have an unbreakable bond.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Lastly, Jesus follows through with his theme: Smaller is better. We don’t need to fill megachurches to take advantage of God’s presence. It may feel like he is more present amid a multitude of believers, but he is just as present among two or three. If two or three people can achieve something, there is no need for a fourth. If a fourth is welcomed in, it’s out of charity and not necessity. God is a holy and perfect Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not need any extra company. God is self-sufficient. He is his own community of persons. He invites us into that same truth. He says two or three because, in fact, a third person is not needed since God would be the third person when even just two are gathered in his name. Then there would be a trinity as well. But a third person can also be beneficial since the third could complete the physical representation of the Trinity. Jesus says “when two or three are gathered” rather than just “when two are gathered” because he wants to stress the importance of three. When two are gathered in God’s name, there is a trinity because God is present. But when three are gathered, the Trinity is symbolized in the group, just as sacraments symbolize other spiritual realities.
PRAY
Dear Lord,
You have stamped your love and wisdom upon everything, even our relationships. Even the way we relate to each other can be a testimony to the wonders of your creation. Help me to relate to others with compassionate and wise love. Help me always to keep justice in mind. For you are love and justice. You are everything I seek. When I reach out to you for guidance, you do not disappoint. Continue to guide me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
LISTEN
When two or three are gathered in God’s name, he is there. But in order to take advantage of his presence, we have to listen for it. It’s not enough to just acknowledge that he is present and then just proceed to listen only to each other. If God is in our midst, that means he is partaking in the conversation. He is inspiring our words. He is giving us insights we would not have seen if we did not invite him. So next time we invite God into our presence, let’s act like he truly is there by listening for his voice in the conversations we have.
Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey and managing editor of Catholic World Report. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. For the latter he is managing editor. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com
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