Teach Them

Today’s Gospel Text: "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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Truly, 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. 19 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. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt 18:15-20

Reflection: One of the lessons we learn from this paragraph of scripture is that of forgiveness.

But there are other lessons too and one of them is the Christian attitude towards morality, ethics and the importance of education and teaching people the right doctrine.

The task that Jesus enjoins on us is not an easy one;  imagine, the brother who sins against you is that wild one, the notorious type who may come back to trample you under his foot for having given him the pearl of a good advice on good behavior. (cfr. Mt. 7:6)

That would always be difficult but scripture always teaches us the extremes of love “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

Jesus did it perfectly on the cross and likewise his dedicated disciples.

We as Christians are called to teach the world the morality of living, which primarily begins with teaching ourselves first in the school of Christ, who still teaches us the way of God:

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 (cfr. 1 Jn. 2:27)

It is only after we have learned in this school, with the tradition, scripture and magisterium to enable us that we can be instruments to correct our brothers and sisters when in the wrong.

If anyone thinks that this is like acting superior then they are self-conceited and do not understand the revealed word of God; Jesus Christ.

They could be termed as pseudo-disciples or pseudo-Christians working like fifth columns as Satan’s instrument to destroy the church of Christ.

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  Eph 5:17

Prayer:  Lord, we thank you for the anointing you give us, may we always seek to learn from what you have given us.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Prayer Tradition

Today’s Gospel Text: He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread; 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation." 5 And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" 14 Now he was casting out a demon that was dumb; when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke, and the people marveled. Luke 11:1-14

Reflection: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." (vs. 1)

Many of our Catholics do not know how to pray. They may pray and pray and yet they do not know how to pray the way God wants us to pray. They will only stick to by heart prayers or the Lord’s Prayer and would not go further on to communicate with the living God, who longs to relate with this his children.

Some of them even join the seminary and become priests, still not knowing how to pray and what to pray.

As compensation, in eastern countries like India, they are introduced to eastern meditational techniques as if these abstracts techniques are prayer methods.

Some of them may even use the name of Jesus and deceitfully compare them with sound Catholic writings and traditions. Yet in no way can it be called Christian in the authentic sense of the term.

No one can call himself a successor of the Apostle if they do not carry on this tradition and teach the flock how to relate to God in prayer in the authentic Catholic tradition. They can only be termed as imposters and shepherds who come to steal, kill and destroy. (cfr.Jn. 10:10) 

  

“This is why it is a fundamental task of pastoral care to teach people how to pray and how to learn to do so personally, better and better. Today, schools of prayer and prayer groups exist; it is obvious that people want them. Many seek meditation elsewhere because they think that they will not be able to find a spiritual dimension in Christianity. We must show them once again not only that this spiritual dimension exists but that it is the source of all things.” (ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Thursday, 9 November 2006, to the Bishops of Switzerland)

The importance of prayer is seen in the great tradition revealed in scripture; “as John taught his disciples” (vs. 1c). So the tradition did not start with Jesus but existed even before him and continues approvingly with the dedicated disciples of Jesus, even to this day.

Every true servant of the Kingdom, no matter how active they may be, is so by virtue of their proximity with God in prayer and passes on the same tradition to their disciples.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples (Lk. 11: 1)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Tradition

Today’s Gospel Text: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 "Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' Matt 5:21-43

Reflection:  All the sayings of Jesus has one thing in common; "You have heard that it was said” and somewhere else Jesus adds; “to the men of old”.  

All these while I thought Jesus was referring to the Law or the commandments, instead he was pointing out to the extended interpretation of the law.

This extended interpretation is what we also call, the tradition.

If you thought that all that talk about tradition and following it was a Catholic invention then here it is; Jesus is not only referring to tradition but further, either correcting or adding to the tradition.

If it was not Jesus, then some would have even condemned him for adding to the Law and changing the meaning of the law. They would have said; look, he is behaving like a Catholic.

In the light of this, I want to throw a challenge:  Get me any protestant who denies the value and importance of tradition and I will prove to them that they too have a tradition.  Though they may deny or even renounce tradition and may strictly claim that they go only by scripture, yet their tradition is as old as their founder who first interpreted the word to them and taught them to protest.  

Here in Jesus’ case, it was not the law that Jesus was referring to but the interpretation of the law which in many instances were not written in the Old Testament. It was an oral tradition carried for generations; from men of old to the men now.  (Which latter, in written form, was referred to as the Talmud)

Prayer:  "With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.”  Job 12:13-14

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us