Key words and phrases: sins against you, two of you agree, two or three of you gathered, I in the midst of them

To the point: What this gospel teaches us about sinning against each other and seeking reconciliation rests on the final statement: Jesus abides in the midst of the church, the community of believers who commit themselves to him and live as he did.

A sin of one member against another affects the life of the whole community of the church.

In the church we are accountable to and for one another because our manner of relating, reconciling, and praying together reveals both our commitment to Jesus and his living presence among us.

Connecting the Gospel

to the first reading: In the very dramatic prophecy (“I will hold you responsible for his death”) Ezekiel reveals the word of the LORD: calling others to live rightly is truly our responsibility.

In the gospel Jesus makes clear that accepting this responsibility affects the well-being of the whole community.

to experience: Traditionally, the sacrament of penance has been solely a private matter among penitent, priest, and God.

The revised rite of communal reconciliation underscores the communal aspects of both sin and reconciliation.

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