It all begins when we feel indebted, says Paul;
when we feel ourselves to be guardians of the other,
says the Prophet; unassuming debtors and attentive guardians: these are the two beautiful names for every person in a relationship. And the third is offered by the Gospel: restorers of bonds, those who ceaselessly mend the continually torn fabric of relationships.
If your brother sins against you, go and admonish him.
What gives me the right to intervene in someone’s life? Only the idea of seeing them as a brother or sister.
It’s not about being defenders of truth but about clean love — caring for someone because they are dear to us.
Only those who love us know how to care for us and admonish us in the right way; others know only how to hurt or flatter. After questioning your heart in this way, go and speak; take the first step; try to rebuild the relationship.
Some people gain brothers and sisters. The growth of brotherhood and sisterhood is the treasure of history; we must invest everything in relational capital, the only investment that produces true growth.
In this experience, you will embody Jesus as he sits with Matthew and the tax collectors, discussing children, crumbs, and little dogs with a pagan woman. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”