“Go and tell your brother his fault between you and him alone.”
Very few of us enjoy being morality cops, telling our family and friends what they’re doing wrong and how they need to change. For one thing, most of us feel we’re in no position to judge others—which is absolutely true. For another, we dread embarrassing people we care about by telling them something they will not be glad to hear. Most spouses don’t even alert each other when they have a bit of parsley in their teeth, must less when their faults are showing.
To be sure, the correction talk must be handled delicately—and alone, as Jesus insists. We don’t come from a superior position but from love, which makes a big difference in how we come across. We only need to say a truth plainly and briefly. Then we leave room—for listening, or for silent reflection. When I’ve been on the receiving end of the correction talk, I’ve never said, “Thanks, what a help this has been!” at once. But after sitting with the truth for a while, I find a place for gratitude in the long run.
When has someone told you a hard truth about yourself? How long did it take to transform you?
(Reflection and questions by Alice Camille in Exploring the Sunday Readings)
Since the Sunday Gospel is the heart of the Gospel Weeklies, an important part of preparing to share the Gospel with children is to read and reflect on it in advance of your class session. The Gospel at Home and The Gospel for All Ages (see Gathering Rituals/Questions) are resources on our website that can help you do this. While these resources take a break in the summer months, we’ll be drawing our weekly reflections from Exploring the Sunday Readings.
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