IF WE TRUE LOVE, TELL HIM

For all practical purposes, this message could just as well be torn and thrown away, for it is unfortunately rarely applied. We ask: When is the last time I went to see a brother and, in love, pointed out to him something in his conduct which harmed others or gravely disedified them? Few of us have courage to put into practice this teaching of Jesus. What we too often prefer doing is simple comment behind our brother's (sister's) back on his or her shortcoming; this is easier than facing the concerned party. Nevertheless, an encouraging sign of times is that fraternal correction has been recently re-discovered by certain groups (Charismatic Renewal, Covenant Communities, etc. In the wake of these groups, perhaps each of us can begin to put into practice this forgotten teaching of Jesus and discover through it another dimension of brotherly love. This Exhortation of Jesus is not an

encouragement to mutual spying on each other or to rash and arrogant judgment on the morality of your neighbors. this advice of Jesus can be understood only as an express of LOVE. Indeed "It is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish", Mt 18.14. And so, fraternal correction is essentially an act of love. What is condemned in Mt. 7:1-5 about the speck and log is precisely rash judgments and condemnations born out of arrogance and self-righteousness. to the admonish a brother is to show CARE for him. When he is ask weak and self-deluded, we extend a gentle hand by our gentle advice. If some  Christians to readily meddle in the affairs of their neighbors, on the other hand, some other Christians limit their Christian involvement to a pure “God-me” relationship. Now here Jesus teaches us that we are all responsible for others. I cannot remain indifferent to the spiritual state of my brother. I cannot say like Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Because indeed I am my brother’s keeper! No man is an island and even less so the disciples of Jesus. No one is insured against failings or weaknesses. It might very well happen that, one day, others may have to correct me. It is not impossible that eventually I might owe my personal salvation to loving brothers who have rendered me this special service. Perhaps, they will be better disposed to render it if they have seen me doing it with the required tact and gentleness. If we come to Church for prayer, it is no doubt in order that we may there adore Christ physically present under the appearances of the Eucharistic bread and wine. But it is also in order that we may find there our brothers and sisters, and that we might unite ourselves to them in prayer. And when, in a humble and sincere prayer, we make ourselves one in heart with our brethren, then we are no longer merely in the presence of Christ on the altar, we are inside the Body of Christ, we form the Mystical Body of Christ-since Jesus said that He is our midst. And so, Jesus himself is the one praying us. How then would our prayer not be heard, since Jesus has solemnly declared: “Father, I know that you always hear my prayer” (Jn 11:42)?