WEDNESDAY, NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Dt 34:1-12 Ps 66:1-3,5,8,16-17 Mt 18:15-20
THE CHRISTIAN PATH TO RECONCILIATION
At Grace Lutheran Church in Atlanta, Georgia, worshippers mark the year’s end with a powerful “burning service.” Each person writes down their failures, grudges, or hopes for renewal and places the paper into a flaming urn. One year, two men – estranged over a business dispute – stood side by side. As their papers turned to ash, they turned to one another and shook hands. In that moment, pride burned away, leaving only grace. This ritual embodies what Christian community is meant to be: not a perfect institution, but a people committed to love, forgiveness, and humility.
Today, Jesus lays out a four-step path to reconciliation:
- Talk One-on-One: Start with a personal, heart-to-heart con versation with the person who has wronged you. Often, this honest talk is enough for reconciliation to happen.
- Bring a Witness: If the issue remains unresolved, involve a neutral third party – a mediator – and talk again in a calm, neutral setting.
- Bring It to the Church: If the person still refuses to listen, turn to the Church community. Seek advice from priests or religious leaders.
- Let It Go: As a last resort, if reconciliation is still not possible, it may be necessary to distance yourself from the person, but never with hatred – only with peace in your heart.
Too often, we reverse the process: we broadcast grievances publicly before seeking private resolution, or we cut ties instead of pursuing peace. As St. Clement of Alexandria wrote: “For the sake of each of us, He laid down His life, worth no less than the universe. He demands of us in return our lives for the sake of each other.” Let us ask ourselves therefore: Do we have the courage to confront with love, without causing harm? Can we open the door to healing, even when it is hard?
Response: Blest be God, who gave life to my soul.
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