“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ― Saint Teresa of Calcutta: (1910 –1997: was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary.)

Gospel Text: (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."

In the Gospel reading Jesus tells his disciples and listeners that it is very important that disputes and disagreements be settled well.

The challenge for all of us in our relationships and interaction with others is to be able to live and accept differences in opinion and way of life with understanding and respect. We are called to be careful and mindful of our prejudices and pre-judgments of others. We are encouraged to be able to understand, respect and forgive others who may differ from us.

We are reminded to go beyond our emotions and to see unity and grace in the midst of negativity and pessimism. 

Understanding and mercy are love gone full circle.