15 “If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt 18:15-20)
IN CAMERA CARITATIS
“In the room of charity” is the English translation of in camera caritatis, a Latin expression of medieval origin, which means in a place where no one else may hear. The “camera” (room) is the place where power is exercised and “caritatis” (charity) is the attitude of love for one’s neighbor. It is normally used in connection with a reproach done only in the presence of the person concerned. This is the advice given by Jesus in the gospel, when he says “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”
At the event that he does not listen, the matter remains as private as possible even at the presence of the two or three witnesses. The gospel passage reveals to us of the manner that the church dealt with such problems at the time of the writing of Matthew’s gospel. It tells us how they exhausted all the possibilities before taking drastic measures.
Jesus reaffirms what he has previously told Peter: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. This describes the power of the Church, affirming that there is a community at work during the time of the writing of the gospel. We learn from Jesus’ words the community aspect of prayer. When we pray together as in church, Jesus is present.
In Matthew’s gospel we see Jesus as Emmanuel, “God with us.” At the beginning, his conception and birth signals God’s presence among us. At the commissioning at the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples that he will be with them until the end of time. Here in the middle of the gospel, he assures them that he is with them when they pray together.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How do I correct others when they are at fault?
2. Do I join others in prayer? How do I participate in the liturgical celebrations of the Church?
Lord to continue blessing your Church, her leaders and members and protect all of us from all dangers.
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