Wednesday: Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 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. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1444, 1449, 1484 Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven In imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. This ecclesial dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christs solemn words to Simon Peter: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Mt 16,19) The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of the apostles united to its head (Mt 18,18; 28,16-20)” (Vatican II LG 22)… The formula of absolution used in the Latin Church expresses the essential elements of this sacrament: the Father of mercies is the source of all forgiveness. He effects the reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit, through the prayer and ministry of the Church: “God, the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… Christ is at work in each of the sacraments. He personally addresses every sinner: My son, your sins are forgiven. (Mk 2,5) He is the physician tending each one of the sick who need him to cure them. (cf. Mk 2,17) He raises them up and reintegrates them into fraternal communion. Personal confession is thus the form most expressive of reconciliation with God and with the Church.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 21:37:55 +0000
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