Only recently have I noticed that the gospel selections from the lectionary for Year A are presenting to us those parts of the Gospel of Matthew which do not appear in the other two synoptic gospels of Mark and Luke. It is important to remember that Matthew, most likely, had Mark in front of him when he wrote his gospel and furthermore he had no second volume in mind, such as Luke's Acts of the Apostles, in which to address the life of the Early Church. This, I suspect, explains the emphasis on the role of St Peter that we have seen in the previous two Sunday gospel episodes. It can also shine light on today's gospel which stresses the importance of dispute resolution in the Matthean community. There is an anachronism here as Jesus, before the Church was manifested at Pentecost, is shown as teaching: "If the brother of sister refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector." (Mtt 18: 17) Matthew is applying Jesus' teaching on mercy and forgiveness to the life of his own community by which he seeks to reduce conflict among its members as well as protecting the common good. What is even more interesting is that Jesus, even when absent, that is after the Ascension, is made present in the members of the Church when they gather in prayer: "Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among you." (Mtt 18: 19-20) This teaching has important implications for us as we gather this morning and pray together in the Mass, which is primarily the sacrificial prayer of our Risen Lord, present in the people, the Blessed Sacrament, the Word and the priest.
No comments:
Post a Comment