23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Matthew 18:15-20

Houston, We Have a Problem

On the Shores of the Sea of Galilee

A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community knew the story. The person it concerned was deeply hurt and offended. Later, the woman responsible for spreading the rumor learned that it was completely untrue. She was very sorry and went to a wise old sage to find out what she could do to repair the damage. “Go to the marketplace.” he said, “and purchase a chicken, and have it killed. Then on your way home, pluck its feathers and drop them one by one along the road.” Although surprised by this advice, the woman did what she was told.

The next day the wise man said, “Now, go and collect all those feathers you dropped yesterday and bring them back to me.” The woman followed the same road, but to her dismay the wind had blown all the feathers away. After searching for hours, she returned with only three in her hand. “You see,” said the old sage, “it’s easy to drop them, but it’s impossible to get them back. So it is with gossip. It doesn’t take much to spread a rumor, but once you do, you can never completely undo the wrong.”

Remember that pool party when you were little that you weren’t invited to?  Remember getting picked last for a baseball game and it was your best friend doing the picking?  Or someone close to you completely forgetting your birthday?  Remember what it felt like, how much it hurt?

Face it! We have all had those moments when someone hurt us deeply.  Maybe it was deliberate, maybe unintentional; either way we are in pain and we are angry!  What do we do with all that negative emotion?  Many of us, myself included, tend to keep it inside.  We fume and grumble and complain; we let it fester and grow until we reach the point where we take it out on everyone around us.  What was once a problem between 2 people turns into something that affects the whole community. 

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, recognizes our ‘oh so’ human condition and provides a way out, a way to resolve the issue and heal the wounds.  But it is not easy.  It requires honesty, truth and a willingness to forgive, to be forgiven and to heal. 

First, quit gossiping and complaining to others!  The issue is between the two of you; so go directly to that person and speak your grievance.  Hard?  Of course, but in the process, you are not just healing the relationship; you are healing yourself, getting rid of those negative feelings and resentment.  Besides, how many times have you faced the other person and it was only then that they realized they had hurt you.  All that pain you are carrying and they never knew, never realized!  Second, if one-on-one doesn’t work, then bring 2 other persons with you as witnesses and try again.  And if that doesn’t work, if they refuse to acknowledge their fault, then bring it to the whole community.

Drastic?  Yes!  Necessary? Yes!  There is a basic message Jesus is trying to teach – sin affects everyone.  Anger and resentment and jealousy and hate, if ignored, will only deepen and end up affecting the whole community, the whole family.  As much as we are in pain and hurting, it will only get worse if we don’t seek to confront it and attempt to heal.  That takes courage, honesty, a willingness to forgive and be forgiven, and love, especially love! 

Jesus gave the Apostles the keys to the Kingdom, the power to bind and to loose.  But He has given to all of us the power to forgive and the command to love each other!

Great Spirit, help me today to be humble, to realize that we are all fragile creatures.  Let me not attack others but seek to heal and mend old wounds and rebuild relationships.

Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of danger and uncertainty.

Help me find compassion without resentment overwhelming me.
Help me to seek strength and courage, not to be greater than others

but to fight my greatest enemy: myself!
Make us always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

In peace and protection walk before us.

In strength and wisdom walk beside us.

In honor and courage walk behind us.

In power and resolve fly above us.

Aho!  And Miigwetch!

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