September 10, 2017: Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.” (Matthew 18:15-20)

Reflection

This Gospel reading reminds me of the power each of us has to affect another person, especially in the area of forgiveness. I have the power to keep a person “bound” and not even heaven can change that! When I refuse to forgive another, however, I also bind myself. I cannot feel good about myself, one often offends others, if I refuse to forgive someone else.

Action

If I am holding a grudge, failing to forgive or resenting what someone did to me long ago, ask God’s grace this week to “let go” and let come the gift of forgiveness that will set me free.