Speaking Out in Love

In the final verses of today’s Gospel reading Jesus says that when two or three are gathered in his name, “there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). So we understand that fraternal correction is always undertaken in the presence of Jesus Christ.

Likewise, encouraging the good in others is not only the right thing for us to do, it is a necessity. The Lord tells the prophet Ezekiel that if he does not speak out to dissuade a person from evil, then he too will be held responsible.

We live in a “do your own thing” age where moral objectivity is often ignored. Clearly when the message we share with others is rooted in love, our motives cannot ever be misinterpreted. As Saint Paul writes, “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).