Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Or Optional Memorial of Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr
Matthew 18:15-20
Face to face – the courage of fraternal correction”

Today’s Gospel teaches us something bold and deeply countercultural: the grace of fraternal correction. Jesus tells us that when a brother or sister sins against us, we are called to speak to them directly, in love—not to gossip, not to seethe in silence, not to plot revenge, but to approach them face to face.

This is one of the most demanding acts of charity, because it calls for truth and tenderness in equal measure. It’s much easier to talk about someone than to them. Gossip feels safe, but it damages both the speaker and the community. It divides, wounds, and spreads scandal. As St. Bernard warned, idle curiosity and careless words are steps not toward virtue, but toward pride and ruin.

Jesus offers us another path: compassionate courage. If someone wrongs you, go first to them—just the two of you—and speak with humility. If that doesn’t work, seek help from others—not gossips, but those who truly care. And if still unresolved, bring it to the community—not to shame, but to heal, with open arms rather than pointing fingers.

This Gospel invites us to examine our hearts: When I am hurt, do I store up bitterness? Do I talk behind someone’s back, or do I have the courage to speak with love and clarity? Does my community restore the fallen, or quietly reject them?

Fraternal correction is not about being right. It’s about being rooted in love, desiring the good of the other, and keeping the community whole. True correction is never condemnation—it is invitation: to return, to reconcile, to begin again.

May Mary, who stood by her Son even when the world condemned Him, teach us how to correct with mercy, and always choose the path of love.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025