Because we are made in God's image and likeness, we seek to be a community of love, healing, and reconciliaiton

A fundamental spiritual truth is that all of life comes from God. We are made in God’s image and likeness. That being so we need to pay attention to the fundamental truth that God is a community of Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with their own characteristics but at the same time in mutual interdependency. Being excessively independent is not God-like.

At times we see ourselves and make our choices as autonomous individuals, accountable to no one else, all by ourselves. But isn’t it true that this attitude many times causes us trouble? Examine your life and see whether or not the “going it alone” approach has generally speaking led you into unhappiness and pain.

Living in interdependency with others isn’t something we have easily acquired. When we were little children we had learn to put aside words like “my,” “me,” and “mine.” In our teen years we struggled with self-centeredness while at the same time seeking to belong. Then we had to figure out to whom we wanted to belong. Some people have never adequately answered that question even on into their adult lives. Who am I? How do others see me? Am I popular? Am I attractive? Do others like to be around me?

And what about criticism, especially when I am the person being criticized. For some of us, any criticism is devastating. Actually, if we want to excel, we should seek out people whom we respect and ask them evaluate, to criticize and mentor us. The sad truth is that many of us never really figure out who we really are, where and with whom we belong, and what our lives are really all about.

Criticism is important for our growth, criticism however that is motivated out of care and concern. Coaches criticize their athletes. Teachers, good teachers, criticize their students. All who want to excel and grow actually welcome and even seek out criticism. This is something those who “go it alone” miss. They don’t grow. They don’t excel. Receiving loving criticism is one of the great benefits we receive when we belong to others in mutual, shared living. God’s blessings come to us in that way.

Criticism that is harsh, negative, and belittling defeats the very purpose of Christian living. It is damaging not only to the one criticized but also undermines what Jesus is all about. He seeks growth, not diminishment. He wants to build us up, not put us down. How sad it is to see one Christian group belittling or condemning other Christian groups. How sad it is to see one Christian spouse belittling or condemning his or her wife or husband. Tearing down is not building up the Christian family. Why would anyone who is thinking about becoming a Christian want to join us if they are seeing that in how we relate to others?

It is never easy to admit our wrongdoing.  It is even harder when someone else points out our faults.  Nevertheless, the love we share as believers in Jesus compels us to care enough for one another that we are willing to take that risk.  Today, Matthew tells us how to go about this often painful process.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said:  “If your brother sins against you, go and tell 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.”

In the Gospel the community has worked out a process whereby those who sinned might be made aware of their sin, then seek forgiveness and be reconciled to God and to their brothers and sisters in Christ.

What is crucial in understanding today’s Gospel is the process seeks not to exclude the offending party but to reconcile and restore this person to the community.  It is all about healing, forgiving and reconciling.

The community of Rochester needs the grace for a healing and reconciling process.  With the tragic shooting death of the Rochester police officer, Darryl Piersons, we are shocked by the violent death of one who has given his life to protect and serve the citizens of Rochester.  He was a husband, a father of two young children, and an outstanding police officer.  This hits close to home for me as I have two nephews who are Rochester police officers.  Each is married and each has four young children along with their wives.

How do we deal with such violence on the streets?  To answer with more violence is not a Gospel way of living.

As we pay attention to our inner journey, we become aware that the spirit of God’s love and healing dwells deep in our hearts.  When we hear with the ears of our heart, we desire to share forgiveness and reconciliation and healing with all people.  When we hear with the ears of our heart, there is no place for pettiness, judgments, ill-will, prejudice, and hatred among us.

St. John, The Apostle of Love, famously put it this way:

 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17).

You are sent in Jesus’ name to do just that.