Love Repairs Relationships

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to move to restore relationships by representing our love in actions that recognize and support the needs of those from whom we have become estranged.

Love Repair Needed

The Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel describes the Slaughter of the Idolaters

* [9:4] Ezekiel emphasizes personal accountability; the innocent inhabitants of Jerusalem are spared while the idolatrous are punished. An X: lit., the Hebrew letter taw.(Ezekiel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [10:15–19] The throne represents God’s presence as ruler and protector of the land. In chap. 1, God is revealed as the lord of the world who can appear even in a far-off land; here God is about to abandon the Temple, that is, hand the city over to its enemies. God and the throne return again in 43:1–3.

* [10:20–22] The repetition of description from the preceding verses is a device intended to suggest the rapid, constantly changing motion of the vision and the difficulty of describing the divine in human language.(Ezekiel, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 113 proclaims God is present in the world.

* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9).(Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents how to deal with A Brother Who Sins.

* [18:15–20] Passing from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number, the discourse now turns to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction (Mt 18:15); if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses (Mt 18:16); if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled (Mt 18:17). The church’s judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God (Mt 18:18). This three-step process of correction corresponds, though not exactly, to the procedure of the Qumran community; see 1QS 5:25–6:1; 6:24–7:25; CD 9:2–8. The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small (Mt 18:19–20). Whether this prayer has anything to do with the preceding judgment is uncertain.

* [18:15] Your brother: a fellow disciple; see Mt 23:8. The bracketed words, against you, are widely attested but they are not in the important codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus or in some other textual witnesses. Their omission broadens the type of sin in question. Won over: literally, “gained.”

* [18:16] Cf. Dt 19:15.

* [18:17] The church: the second of the only two instances of this word in the gospels; see note on Mt 16:18. Here it refers not to the entire church of Jesus, as in Mt 16:18, but to the local congregation. Treat him…a Gentile or a tax collector: just as the observant Jew avoided the company of Gentiles and tax collectors, so must the congregation of Christian disciples separate itself from the arrogantly sinful member who refuses to repent even when convicted of his sin by the whole church. Such a one is to be set outside the fellowship of the community. The harsh language about Gentile and tax collector probably reflects a stage of the Matthean church when it was principally composed of Jewish Christians. That time had long since passed, but the principle of exclusion for such a sinner remained. Paul makes a similar demand for excommunication in 1 Cor 5:1–13.

* [18:18] Except for the plural of the verbs bind and loose, this verse is practically identical with Mt 16:19b and many scholars understand it as granting to all the disciples what was previously given to Peter alone. For a different view, based on the different contexts of the two verses, see note on Mt 16:19.

* [18:19–20] Some take these verses as applying to prayer on the occasion of the church’s gathering to deal with the sinner of Mt 18:17. Unless an a fortiori argument is supposed, this seems unlikely. God’s answer to the prayer of two or three envisages a different situation from one that involves the entire congregation. In addition, the object of this prayer is expressed in most general terms as anything for which they are to pray.

* [18:20] For where two or three…midst of them: the presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of the prayer. This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in A.D. 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: “…When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them” (Pirqê ’Abôt 3, 3). (Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michele Bogard is not surprised that the students she works with avoid conflict like the plague.

How we experience people is so critical in our relationship with God. One of my favorite quotes is by St. Ignatius. “Love ought to show itself in deeds more than words”. (I’m writing this reflection on the feast of St. Ignatius – a special day for someone who has worked at a Jesuit school for a quarter of a century). Today’s Gospel reminds us that we do not stop trying to be in communion with one another. We forgive. If we don’t heal that relationship, we try again. We enlist assistance. We have patience in those interactions and keep doing the work to support one another in our journeys.

So, for me that means having awkward conversations. It means helping students lean into that tension and calling people into dialogue. It means not avoiding the situation or amplifying it on social media. It means listening through all the noise nowadays.

How do you show God’s love to one another especially when you are wronged? How do you show that love in deeds? (Bogard, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “If someone has done you injury,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD).

"If someone has done you injury and you have suffered, what should be done? You have heard the answer already in today's scripture: 'If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.' If you fail to do so, you are worse than he is. He has done someone harm, and by doing harm he has stricken himself with a grievous wound. Will you then completely disregard your brother's wound? Will you simply watch him stumble and fall down? Will you disregard his predicament? If so, you are worse in your silence than he in his abuse. Therefore, when any one sins against us, let us take great care, but not merely for ourselves. For it is a glorious thing to forget injuries. Just set aside your own injury, but do not neglect your brother's wound. Therefore 'go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone,' intent upon his amendment but sparing his sense of shame. For it might happen that through defensiveness he will begin to justify his sin, and so you will have inadvertently nudged him still closer toward the very behavior you desire to amend. Therefore 'tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother,' because he might have been lost, had you not spoken with him. " (excerpt from Sermon 82.7) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Ezekiel, the six meet who will write a Hebrew tau like an “x” on the forehead of those unfaithful to the Law of Moses. In Revelation, the tau is Greek, like a cross. Ezekiel realizes that the very holiness of God has departed from the Temple until it is rebuilt. One resolves a difficulty in the community in a procedure that is explained in the Gospel. The unresolved action results in excommunication. It is intended to recognize that actions and words have separated one from the community. The power of binding and losing is recognized by the rabbi and later applied to Reconciliation. Friar Jude implores us to seek to pray as an act of community and reconciliation and an action of love and bonding together.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20 comments that the process Jesus describes in this reading is more than just a formula or a set of steps; it reveals his desire that we do everything we can to bring about unity and reconciliation—and his readiness to help us.

Take some time in prayer today asking God to reveal to you just one of your relationships that is lacking in unity. Then ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom to try to work toward repairing it. Trust that Jesus will be in your midst as you do. Even when things are hard and our relationships are not at peace—especially then—Jesus promises to be present: with his grace, with his wisdom, with his love. You don’t have to have it all together in order for him to make his presence known. This is a promise we can hold on to!

“Lord, help me to remember you are always with me, especially in difficult relationships. Give me the grace of unity and reconciliation.”(Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Clare of Assisi who provided spiritual counsel to Bohemian princess Agnes of Prague. She recommends praying before images of the cross: Franciscan friar and author Dan Riley (1943–2024) reflects on Clare’s second letter to Agnes and describes this experiential form of prayer as “Franciscan Lectio”.

For Clare, Francis, and their followers, what we call “Lectio” always moves toward actio—the loving and healing action, the merciful movement toward justice. This is spherical in nature, out from the Crucified One in Christ, before whom you and I sit. She brings us into this sphere of love, around the axle—the primal tree.…

 

St. Bonaventure points to us a certain way of prioritizing “coming to know,” which involves placing ourselves in a place where we might learn more than to know…. In other words, this kind of knowing causes wonder to rise up from our hearts instead of dualism or certainty from our minds. To learn is to enter activity, even if it is dark or unclear or veiled or obscured. You and I journey in trust before the crucifix, a mirror for our lives. We come with our questions. We can be honest and real. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to enkindle in our heart the Love of God that opens the path through which we move to repair relationships that have been damaged in family and community.

References

Bogard, M. (2026, August 12). Daily Reflection August 12, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-12-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/10? 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/9? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18? 

Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/12/1644269/ 

Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/113?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Sacred Reading: A Pathway to Connectivity. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sacred-reading-a-pathway-to-connectivity/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). If Your Brother Sins against You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Blessed as Believers

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our understanding of “Blessing” as we ponder the sermon of Jesus on the Mount.

Inherit the Earth

In the Reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah Proclaims a Drought

* [17:1] This verse introduces the enigmatic figure of Elijah the Tishbite. (The name “Elijah” means “the Lord is my God.” The meaning of “Tishbite” is unknown; it may refer to a place or to a social class.) His appearance before Ahab is abrupt and involves several matters that will unify the whole Elijah story. His claim to “serve the Lord” (lit., to “stand before the Lord”) points forward to 19:13, where he refuses to do so; the center of narrative tension on this level is the question of the prophet’s autonomy in God’s service. His proclamation of a drought points forward to 18:41–45 where he announces the drought’s end; the center of narrative tension on this level is the struggle between the Lord and the Canaanite fertility god Baal for the loyalties of Israel. His claim that the drought is due to his own word of power (“except at my word”) points forward to 17:24 where the widow acknowledges the divine source of the word Elijah speaks; the center of narrative tension on this level is the gradual characterization of the prophet as one who receives a divine word (vv. 2, 8), obeys it (v. 5), conveys an effective divine word of threat (v. 1) or promise (vv. 14, 16), and even speaks an effective human word of entreaty to God (vv. 20, 22). (1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 121 is a blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey.

* [Psalm 121] A blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey whether a soldier going on a campaign or a pilgrim returning home from the Temple. People look anxiously at the wooded hills. Will God protect them on their journey (Ps 121:1)? The speaker declares that God is not confined to a place or a time (Ps 121:2), that every step is guarded (Ps 121:3–4); night and day (Ps 121:5–6) God watches over their every movement (Ps 121:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, The Sermon on the Mount proclaims The Beatitudes.

* [5:3–12] The form Blessed are (is) occurs frequently in the Old Testament in the Wisdom literature and in the psalms. Although modified by Matthew, the first, second, fourth, and ninth beatitudes have Lucan parallels (Mt 5:3 // Lk 6:20; Mt 5:4 // Lk 6:21b; Mt 5:6 // Lk 6:21a; Mt 5:11–12 // Lk 5:22–23). The others were added by the evangelist and are probably his own composition. A few manuscripts, Western and Alexandrian, and many versions and patristic quotations give the second and third beatitudes in inverted order.

* [5:3] The poor in spirit: in the Old Testament, the poor (’anāwîm) are those who are without material possessions and whose confidence is in God (see Is 61:1; Zep 2:3; in the NAB the word is translated lowly and humble, respectively, in those texts). Matthew added in spirit in order either to indicate that only the devout poor were meant or to extend the beatitude to all, of whatever social rank, who recognized their complete dependence on God. The same phrase poor in spirit is found in the Qumran literature (1QM 14:7).

* [5:4] Cf. Is 61:2, “(The Lord has sent me)…to comfort all who mourn.” They will be comforted: here the passive is a “theological passive” equivalent to the active “God will comfort them”; so also in Mt 5:6, 7.

* [5:5] Cf. Ps 37:11, “…the meek shall possess the land.” In the psalm “the land” means the land of Palestine; here it means the kingdom.

* [5:6] For righteousness: a Matthean addition. For the meaning of righteousness here, see note on Mt 3:14–15.

* [5:8] Cf. Ps 24:4. Only one “whose heart is clean” can take part in the temple worship. To be with God in the temple is described in Ps 42:3 as “beholding his face,” but here the promise to the clean of heart is that they will see God not in the temple but in the coming kingdom.

* [5:10] Righteousness here, as usually in Matthew, means conduct in conformity with God’s will.

* [5:12] The prophets who were before you: the disciples of Jesus stand in the line of the persecuted prophets of Israel. Some would see the expression as indicating also that Matthew considered all Christian disciples as prophets. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Margo Minnich comments that in the Beatitudes, Jesus offers us eternal joy rather than temporary worldly approval. He reverses worldly values and reveals what true blessedness looks like. The poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and those who hunger for righteousness are called blessed because their hearts are oriented toward God.

This Gospel becomes a call to discernment and self-knowledge. His words challenge us to examine where we place trust and what truly governs our daily choices. It asks us to honestly confront the temptations that draw us away from the service of faith and the pursuit of justice toward selfishness. We should ask ourselves: In what ways do I place my own comfort or success before the needs of others? How often do I imitate the priorities of the world rather than recognize God’s goodness already present around me? The Beatitudes invite us to seek Ignatian indifference, not rejecting worldly goods entirely, but refusing to let them control our hearts or determine our worth.

Christ’s standard is not easy because it calls for humility, sacrifice, and trust. Yet it is also the path to authentic freedom and lasting peace. Jesus reminds us that suffering for righteousness is not failure, but participation in the Kingdom of God. His final words offer both consolation and hope: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” In those words, Christ invites us to live not for the praise of this world, but for the deeper joy that comes from faithfully following Him. (Minnich, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Perfect blessedness is humility of spirit,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Lord taught by way of example that the glory of human ambition must be left behind when he said, 'The Lord your God shall you adore and him only shall you serve' (Matthew 4:10). And when he announced through the prophets that he would choose a people humble and in awe of his words [Isaiah 66:2], he introduced the perfect Beatitude as humility of spirit. Therefore he defines those who are inspired as people aware that they are in possession of the heavenly kingdom... Nothing belongs to anyone as being properly one's own, but all have the same things by the gift of a single parent. They have been given the first things needed to come into life and have been supplied with the means to use them." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 4.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12 comments that as we hold fast to our vision of Jesus, however cloudy that vision might be, the Holy Spirit takes our efforts and exchanges them with his own divine grace.

This time, instead of getting sucked into saying something negative, you find a way to steer the conversation to a different topic. Maybe you even make a positive comment about the neighbor with the weedy garden. That’s God at work! And because you cooperated with him, your vision of him became just a little clearer and your heart just a little more like his.

So keep cleaning your spiritual glasses and asking yourself, “Where will I see God today?”

“Jesus, I long to see you. Help me turn away from sin. Purify my heart as I gaze on you.” (Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that, in 1 Kings, Elijah tells of drought upon the land that reminds us that  “as the sin, so the punishment” after worship by the people of the false God of fertility, there would be a drought. The Gospel of Matthew begins the Sermon on the Mount (Ch 5- 7) The structure of the Gospel of Matthew mirrors the Pentateuch with five sections to indicate a New Law for the people of God. The Beatitudes are a version of that new law in Matthew. Of the three versions in Scripture, Luke with four blessings and four curses follows a traditional format. “Poor in Spirit” means being humble. Those who mourn are blessed as we realize our need for others and God. The meek change the world by their gentleness. Righteousness in Matthew is presented as Joseph by taking care of Mary and Jesus and those leaders who care for their sheep are truly compassionate and righteous. “Clean of heart” is single minded as, in the Bible thinking is a function of our heart. When we are persecuted for justice and care of the poor we are blessed in God’s eyes. Friar Jude also invites us to consider the parable of the sheep and the goats as our choice to be sheep, living a blessed life.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes relationship as the nature of God and reality. It’s true that nothing stands alone! We are intrinsically like the Trinity, living in an absolute relatedness. We call this love.

We really were made for love, and outside of love we die very quickly. If we are going to start with Trinity, then loving relationship is the universal pattern, the nature of our being. When we start with a philosophical concept of being and then try to convince everyone that this being is, in fact, love, we don’t have a lot of success. I’ve been a priest for over fifty years and can say that more Christians seem to be afraid of God than in love with God. Sadly, Christians aren’t more loving than anyone else; sometimes, we’re even less loving than other people! In some ways, that’s inevitable if we’re basically relating to God out of fear, if we haven’t been drawn into the love between the Father and the Son by the Spirit.(Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we live in accord with our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in our work of transformation to a society living the Beatitudes.

 

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5? 

Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/08/1587749/ 

Minnich, M. (2026, June 8). Daily Reflection June 8, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-8-2026 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/17?1 

Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/121? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC.org. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-positive-relationship/  

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Rejoice and Be Glad, for Your Reward Is Great in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/