A Brother Who Sins

Today's Reflections 

          

 

                 

 

A Brother Who Sins 

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Mt 18:15-20

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ¹⁵“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. ¹⁶If 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.’ ¹⁷If 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. ¹⁸Amen, 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. ¹⁹Again, [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. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Reflection:

If two of you agree. Why is it that when two of the disciples agree to pray for anything it will be granted? Because when two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ, he is in their midst. In other words, they are no longer simply two who pray, but Jesus prays with them. And we know that Jesus says to the Father, “I know that you always hear me” (Jn 11:42).

This coming together to pray for something is made easier by modern technology. People now can pray together for a grace they want to ask (often the grace of healing of the sick, or eternal rest for the departed) simply by texting, e-mailing, or twittering each other.

Let us take advantage of the modern means

that put the communion of saints into practice.