Don’t Let Fear Stop You

Readings for Sunday September 4, 2011                                         

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 

      Ever wonder what kind of difference Jesus can make in your daily life? This Gospel reading is aimed at those who think that Jesus couldn’t ‘hang’ with the best pop-psychologists of our day. We see in this reading a sure-fire plan for what many today call ‘conflict resolution’. Have you ever been so angry with someone that you couldn’t talk, even to them? Have you ever found yourself talking about your relationship problems, while you never directly confront the people with whom you’re in conflict? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, then you need what Jesus has to say to us in this passage. The first item of interest in this passage is that Jesus tells us that the person responsible for resolving the conflict is not the person who did the damage: It is the person who was injured that is expected to begin the reconciliation process. (Of course, this shouldn’t stop a person who began the conflict to seek reconciliation. The point is that often times we hurt people without even knowing it, and need someone to point out our faults.) The next major point is that Jesus gives us three clear steps in seeking out reconciliation, but the common thread to all these steps is that we must go directly to the person who hurt us. Don’t let this Gospel passage fool you into thinking that this is an easy teaching to uphold. This is the part that people so often pass over. They choose gossip and backstabbing over going directly to the individual. People can be so blinded by fear and anger that they miss the opportunity to seek reconciliation, and end out making a bad situation far worse than it was. This avoidance of going to the person directly can –depending on the sin and the situation–be an even worse sin than the sin that started the conflict. If we don’t deal directly with those involved, then we will be bound by the sin and hurt done to us. However, if we follow Christ’s teaching, then we will be on the right road to reconciliation. So don’t let fear stop you from doing what is right. If the other person doesn’t want to hear what you have to say, then let this be their problem, not yours. May God give us the courage we need to resolve conflict according to His plan so that we can truly be people of peace.

Reading 1       Ezekiel 33:7-9

7 Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. 8 If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, "and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Is God calling every Christian to be a watchman like Ezekiel?
2. What are you watching for?
3. Will he hold you accountable for not warning your people?

Reading 2       Romans 13:8-10

8 Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Questions for Discussion:

1. What is the greatest example of love you have ever experienced or observed?
2. How does the law help us know what it means to love?
3. How does this differ from popular notions of love

Gospel                        Matthew 18:15-20

15 Jesus said to his disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.16 If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 17 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. 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. 19 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. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Questions for Discussion:

1. Outline the three steps Jesus gives us for resolving conflict. What would it mean, in today’s day and age, to treat someone like a ‘Gentile or a tax collector’? Describe.

2. List the reasons people generally have for not dealing with their conflicts directly.

3.  Give real-life experiences from your life when you handled your conflict in a healthy and holy way – and in an unhealthy way. What were the consequences of each situation?