Today's Gospel

Let’s Get Uncomfortable

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where each day we are exploring the genius of the Gospels. Today's reading comes from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 18, verses 15 through 20. "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loose in heaven. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst."

What jumps out at you today? What jumps out at me is this direct way of handling situations that Jesus is inviting us to. If your brother sins against you, if your brother, if someone does something against you, it's not posted on social media. It's not talk to all your friends about it. It's not gossip about it behind people's back. It's go straight to that person and have a conversation directly with that person, just the two of you alone. And that takes courage. That takes being comfortable, being uncomfortable, I think, because it is an uncomfortable situation to go to somebody and say, "Hey, you did this thing and that hurt me." Or, "You did this thing, and I feel like that was wrong." And of course, Jesus says, "If that person doesn't listen to you, then get a couple of other people and go back and have another direct and courageous conversation." And I think we struggle with that. That's what jumps out at me today, what jumps out at you today? But I encourage you to think today like what is one courageous conversation that you need to have in your life at this moment? And who do you need to have that courageous conversation with? And what is preventing you? What is stopping you from having that courageous conversation? Have an amazing day and remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.