Love Enough to Care, Speak, Correct and Forgive

09-06-2026Weekly ReflectionFr. Emmanuel Ogla, VC

Dear Friends in Christ,

The readings of today invite us to reflect and remember that we are not meant to live for ourselves alone, but for one another. This responsibility must always be guided by love and not by judgment, gossip, or condemnation. True Christian love cares enough to speak the truth, correct gently, forgive generously, and help one another find the right path.

In the first reading, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for the people of Israel. A watchman stays alert and warns others when danger is approaching. God tells Ezekiel that if he sees danger and fails to warn the people, he will be accountable for their sins. But if he faithfully warns them and they refuse to listen, he has fulfilled his responsibility. The message is clear: silence is not always love. Sometimes, when we truly love someone, we must have the courage to speak. A parent who loves a child will correct the child. A true friend will not watch a friend walk into danger without saying anything. A loving Christian should care not only about another person’s physical welfare but also about their spiritual and moral well-being.

In the second reading, St. Paul gives us the key to understanding both the first reading and the Gospel: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” Love is the foundation of Christian life. But genuine love is not merely being nice to people or agreeing with everything they do. True love seeks the good of the other person. Therefore, when correction is necessary, it must come from love and not in anger, pride, revenge, or the desire to embarrass someone. Before correcting others, we should ask ourselves: “Am I speaking because I love this person, or because I want to prove that I am right?” Pope Francis describes fraternal correction as “one of the highest expressions of love,” while also warning that it is one of the most demanding.

In the Gospel, Jesus gives us a beautiful process for dealing with someone who has done wrong. First, speak privately with the person. Jesus does not say: Tell everyone about the person, or post it on social media, or destroy the person’s reputation. He says: Go to the person privately. Secondly, Jesus invites us to seek help if necessary and if the person does not listen, take one or two others. Jesus does not say: form a group against the person. Seek understanding and reconciliation. Thirdly, Jesus instructs us to involve the community only when the private and smaller efforts have failed. The goal is never to humiliate the person. The goal is to win back your brother or sister. Pope Francis calls this Jesus’ pedagogy of rehabilitation: it is a process aimed at helping, restoring, and saving the person rather than publicly exposing the person. We live in a world where people often do the opposite of what Jesus teaches. Instead of speaking to people, we speak about them. Instead of correcting privately, we expose them publicly. Instead of seeking reconciliation, we seek revenge. Instead of healing wounds, we spread gossip. Social media has made this even more common. One mistake can become public entertainment. But Jesus teaches us to have a conversation privately, truthfully, gently, and lovingly.

Pope Francis strongly warns that gossip damages both individuals and communities and never truly helps people improve. Care about the good of others. Sometimes love requires courage. Do not expose someone’s weakness before speaking to them personally. Before correcting someone, remember that you too are a sinner who needs mercy and forgiveness. Never correct from anger. Correction without love can become cruelty. The purpose must always be healing and restoration. Avoid gossip, build unity through prayer. When a community prays, forgives, listens, and seeks reconciliation, Christ is present with them. Pope Francis reminds us that “Fraternal correction is one of the highest expressions of love, and also one of the most demanding.” St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that fraternal correction is fundamentally an act of charity, and therefore should be carried out with gentleness, respect, and concern for the good of the other person. Always be reminded that if we love, we care. If we care, sometimes we must speak. But we must always speak with humility, truth, gentleness, and love. Be courageous to speak privately, forgive generously, correct lovingly, and pray sincerely. May the Lord help us to become watchmen like Ezekiel, lovers like St. Paul teaches, and compassionate brothers and sisters like Jesus commands us to be. Amen.