Today’s readings for mass are about sin and this is a subject that many of us don’t like to talk about. However, the readings for mass today are pretty positive even if the subject of sin is difficult to discuss. In the first reading for mass from the book of Deuteronomy, God shows Moses the promised land, but told him that he would never be able to go there. This is worth taking a moment to think about. The reason Moses would never see the promised land, is because he sinned against God by performing a miracle that God wanted him to do, but he did not attribute the miracle to God. This was his just punishment, that he would see the promised land but never be allowed to enter it. However, this is also a good example for us in a way, because Moses did God’s will throughout his life even after he knew he never would be able to live in the promised land. Moses was still a good and faithful servant to God.
There are so many good things we do in our lives that we will never see the result of either. Many people get discouraged when they see how their children or grandchildren have turned out, especially if they quit going to mass. However, we never know what good things the future holds for those we love. It really is true that sometimes a very small thing that we say or do remains a seed inside a person that is buried for a time, but will one day sprout and bloom. All we can do is plant seeds of faith and pray for God to give them the growth.
Before Moses died though, he laid hands on Joshua, the so of Nun, to be his successor as the leader of the Israelite people. Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom and the Israelites trusted him and obeyed what he told them to do. Joshua went on to become a good, wise and faith filled leader because of the spirit of wisdom God had given him and he was respected for it.
In the gospel today Jesus tells us what to do if another member of the church sins against you. This is some of the most excellent advise in the bible on how to handle people that are doing something wrong, but have not yet acknowledged it.
We are to talk about it between ourselves first. Notice he didn’t say to talk about it to all of your friends before you approach the person who hurt you. Jesus said it is supposed to be just between the two of you. We should show respect to the other person even if they have hurt us, because we would want to be shown respect too, if we were in their shoes. The next step is to bring in two or three witnesses in to talk to the person and if they do not listen, to tell it to the church. This is not really done in modern times unless the offense is church related, however if you know a member of the clergy who is open to talking to a family member or friend who is really heading down the wrong path, this might be something to consider. The last step if the offender will not listen to you, the witnesses, or a person from church, is to treat them like a tax collector.
Jesus goes on in the gospel today to say “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” These verses in scripture are the basis for our Catholic belief in confession. The priest has been given the authority to bind sin or forgive it in confession, through the laying on of hands by their bishops, who in turn received this authority from the pope. All popes have received this same authority, in succession from Saint Peter until this day. Our hope is that those who sin against us will realize that what they were doing is wrong, admit it, go to confession and be forgiven by Jesus and we will forgive them too. The long term goal of conversion is what we should all be working for, within ourselves, but also for those who sin against us.
However, the Lord Jesus also listens to our prayers concerning those who have hurt us or sinned against us too. He said “Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” We should pray for them and ask our friends and family to pray for them too, if they know of the situation. To pray alone for a person we love is not as powerful as having several others pray with you too.
Jesus assures us that where two or three are gathered in his name he is there with us. That is something we should really think about doing more, because so often we end up praying by ourselves for someone we love. It would help if we to asked a friend join us in praying too. That is what friends are for. Sometimes if we are too distraught or sick to pray, our friends can even pray for us.
