GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:15-20

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.”

The gospel of the Lord

 

For love of you, or for love of me?

How delicate Jesus is, how much care He takes with each soul.

It’s not easy to correct someone, and even less so to be corrected. That’s why Jesus teaches us how to do it.

The world tempts us to judge from afar, to make easy comments from a distance, to remain silent with resentment or to explode harshly. Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us to correct with gentleness, from closeness, with prayer, with patience…

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) said that there is no truth without charity, and no charity without truth—a reality fully reflected in the Heart of Jesus, both just and merciful.

Without love, truth can wound and divide; without truth, love can become false or permissive. Truth and Love are inseparably united in Jesus. So we too must correct our brothers—and especially our spouse—because through our sacrament, we are their suitable help and ministers of God’s grace for them.

Christian spouses administer God’s grace to one another, even in what is hard to accept. To correct, to pray, and to offer sacrifices for the other is to truly love.

Lord, today we contemplate Your Heart, which always comes to meet us with tenderness and gentleness, to rescue us, heal us, and lead us to You. Give us a heart like Yours, and thank You for Your infinite mercy.

Applied to Married Life:

Fernand: Hey, can we talk for a moment?

Andrea: Of course, go ahead.

Fernand: This morning it bothered me that you took so long to get ready. We were in a hurry and you spent quite a while choosing what to wear. I think you should be more organised and not waste so much time on that.

Andrea: Do you really think it was that serious?

Fernand: I think you should be more practical—I believe that’s also part of living virtuously.

Andrea: (after a pause) I’ve been thinking… are you sure you corrected me for my own good? Or because it makes you nervous to be kept waiting?

Fernand: (reflecting) uuufff… I think you’re right. It’s true, I didn’t realize I spoke to you from impatience, not from love. It bothers me to be kept waiting, and I disguised my anger as virtue.

Andrea: Don’t worry, it’s easy to fall into that… if we’re going to correct each other, let it be to draw closer to God, not to mold the other to our own preferences. Otherwise, we’re just controlling, not loving—don’t you think?

Fernand: Thank you for helping me see that. I want my corrections to come from love, and to receive yours as a gift for my soul. Help me learn this

Mother,

The just and merciful Heart of Jesus is our model. Lead us to Him! Don’t let go of our hand. Blessed are you!