"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," (Col 3:12)

Mt 18:15-20

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."

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him about his fault between you and him alone. These words: “go and tell him his fault” can also be translated as "to shame", "to expose", "to chastise". If your brother sins against you, go and shame him, expose his sin. Jesus encourages us not to be afraid to do this. These days, to embarrass someone, expose their sin or rebuke someone for the harm suffered involves great risk, so many people give up this attitude in the name of false peace or, worse, talk behind their backs or judge in their hearts. The harm inflicted remains unresolved, the evil still persists in man, despite the fact that he dragged it out in the form of gossips. Jesus cares about the truth in our relationships, the truth also in this difficult sense when it comes to solving problems, wounds, tensions. Jesus wants us to live with other people in peace based on truth, not in tension based on fear. That is why it is worth solving our problems with others not behind their backs, but in private, alone, to experience healing and reconciliation. No other human will solve my problems with other people, even if he is my best friend with whom I can talk for hours complaining about someone. I can experience full healing only in truth, in confrontation with the one who hurt me, also so that he himself will understand what he has done and if he understands, he will experience forgiveness and healing of his heart as well. Of course, there is no guarantee that every person will treat me the same way and will respond with kindness, peace, and love to my reprimand, to my feeling of regret for the wrong he has done to me. Jesus knows this and that is why he says: If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. But there's a possibility he won't listen to you. Jesus knows that every person is different and has different feelings, has different attitudes to the truth. However, he asks us to try to confront ourselves and not be afraid to tell someone about someone's sins or to admit wrong ourselves if we have hurt someone. The truth must hurt sometimes, like iodine used to wash a wound. However, it is worth trying to apply the iodine of truth to the wounded place, it is worth the risk to enjoy true peace and the possibility of a regained relationship. It is worth talking to, even if the person does not accept my words, it is worth not being discouraged and trying again and again, and if after several attempts there are still no expected fruits, then let's leave the whole situation to God's justice, which sooner or later will solve the problem. We, however, will have the certainty of conscience that we have done everything to solve a difficult situation and persuade someone to change their behavior and turn away from evil. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. This can also be translated in literary translation: let it be to you as a collaborator and a cheater, a cheater who, however, does not cheat you, but himself and God, because avoiding standing in the truth is cheating yourself. Such a man is really poor in himself, and instead of condemning him, it is better to start praying for him and sincerely feel sorry for him, because he may escape our justice, but no one can escape God's justice.

Father Marcin Cwierz, OSPPE

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"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," (Col 3:12)