I would like to start my reflection by telling a story entitled “Nails on the Post” by M.F. Cowdery ( From the book The Moral Compass – Edited, with commentary, by William J. Bennet). It goes like this: “There was once a farmer who had a son named John, a boy very apt to be thoughtless, and careless about doing what he was told to do.
One day his father said to him, “John, you are careless and forgetful, that everytime you do wrong, I shall drive a nail into this post, to remind you how often you are naughty. And everytime you do right I will draw one out.” His father did as he said he would, and every day he had one and sometimes a great many nails to drive in, but very seldom one to draw out.
At last John saw that the post was quite covered with nails, and he began to be ashamed of having so many faults. He resolved to be a better boy, and the next day he was so good and industrious that several nails came out. The day after it was the same thing, and so on for a long time, till at length only one nail remained. His father then called him, and said: “Look , John, here is the very last nail, and now I’m going to draw it out. Are you not glad?”
John looked at the post, and then, instead of expressing his joy, as his father expected, he burst into tears. “Why,” said the father, “what’s the matter? I should think you would be delighted; the nails are all gone.” “Yes,” sobbed John, “the nails are gone, but the scars are there yet.”
So it is, with your faults and bad habits; you may overcome them, you may by degrees cure them , but the scars remain. Now, take this advice, and whenever you find yourselves doing a wrong thing, or going into a bad habit, stop at once. For every time you give in to it, you drive another nail, and that will leave a scar on your soul, even if the nail should be afterwards drawn out,”
The Gospel reading from Mt. 18:15-20 speaks about what we should do when someone sins against us. Thus, taking into consideration the teachings of Jesus and makes us realize that Jesus is not simply preaching on correcting mistaken persons. PAGTUTUWID, PAKIKIPAGKASUNDO.
Jesus is talking about true love and concern. True love and concern cannot afford to be silent and indifferent towards people in their weaknesses. It is about improving the relationship. It is about peace and harmony in the community. MAHIRAP YUNG MAGKAKASAMA NA HINDI NAGBABATIAN.
So if there is a problem in relationship, there is a need to fix it by doing the right process. To do it privately in order to avoid scandal. The ultimate reason is to improve the situation and the individuals’ well- being. You do it because you care.
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