SUNDAY REFLECTION (Matthew 18:15-20)

 Gospel Reflection 

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus teaches the disciples how to handle conflicts with one another. He tells them that when someone does something wrong, they should approach the person privately and talk about the situation instead of immediately involving other people. 

This Gospel made me reflect on how I handle conflicts with the people around me. There are times when someone does something that hurts or disappoints me, my first reaction is to distance myself from them or keep my feelings to myself. As someone who doesn’t want to start an argument or make the situation worse, I feel uncomfortable telling them that they have done something wrong. However, Jesus shows me that avoiding the problem is not always the best way to deal with it. 

I realized that handling conflicts does not always mean trying to prove that I am right. Sometimes, I become so focused on explaining my side of the story that I forget that the other person also has feelings and their own perspective. Jesus reminds me to approach conflicts with honesty, but also with understanding. Instead of asking, “How can I win this argument?” we should ask, “How can we fix what happened?” Conflicts do not always mean that a relationship is broken. There are times when God is calling us to face them with love, understanding, and a heart willing to restore. 

What stood out to me most is that Jesus focuses on gaining the person back, not winning the argument. This reminds me that when I face conflicts, pride should not be more important than the relationship itself. There may be times when not every conflict can be solved easily but we can still choose to communicate with respect and listen with an open heart.

- Louise Pelicano

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SUNDAY REFLECTION (Matthew 16:13-20)

  In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus was talking to His disciples and asked them, “Who do you say that I am?”. Simon Peter then replied to him saying that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, which Jesus then affirmed His statement, blessed him, and renamed him “Peter” as a sign of authority for building His church. This Gospel reflects a lot about our view as a Christian and shows how deep our faith looks like with our relationship with God. It reminds us of our way of viewing Jesus personally and asks us if we truly have a genuine relationship with Him. When I read this Gospel, it also made me reflect about my view of Jesus as a believer. As someone who grew up in a religious household, I sometimes ask myself similar questions like, “Who is Jesus for me?” or “Do I really know him personally?”. These reflections really lead to me seeking an answer and wanting to learn more about my relationship with Him. Even though we say we are His followers, what makes it truly special is the g...
Read more

SUNDAY REFLECTION (Mk 9:30-37)

     In today's gospel, Jesus teaches us about what humility is all about. He clearly stated that the greatness in His Kingdom comes not from status or power, but from serving others. Moreover, Jesus reminds us that humility lies in caring for others, especially those who are vulnerable.    This could mean being kind to someone who feels excluded or recognizing that our achievements should not make us arrogant but inspire us to lift others up. It is much better to serve others selflessly and not thinking of receiving in return because knowing that this is what pleases our God.    This reflection encourages us to focus on being a humble and compassionate and not thinking solely on our personal success. It is very fulfilling if we also think of the well-being of those around us. By doing so, we can grow not only for ourselves mentally but also spiritually, following Christ’s example of servant leadership.               ...
Read more

SUNDAY REFLECTION (Matthew 16:21-27)

 In matthew 16:21-27, Jesus reminds His disciples that following Him is not always easy. He tells them that He must suffer, be rejected, and eventually be killed, but Peter finds it difficult to accept this. Jesus then teaches that anyone who wants to follow Him must be willing to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. This Gospel makes me realize that life will not always go according to what I want. There will be struggles, disappointments, and sacrifices, but these challenges can help me become stronger and closer to God. Sometimes, I may want to choose the easier path, but Jesus reminds me that doing what is right requires courage and faith. I also learned that success is not only about gaining things or pleasing other people, what truly matters is how I live my life and how I treat others. I should not lose myself just to achieve worldly things. Instead, I should trust God, remain faithful, and continue doing what is good even when it is difficult. “Take up your...
Read more