Jesus said to his disciples: 15 "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

 

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 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 gained your brother. 16 If he does not listen to you, take one or two others along with you, so that every matter may be decided on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he does not listen to you, tell it to the church. If he does not listen to the church, let him be treated as a pagan or a public sinner. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

—Word of Salvation. Reflection A Christian has the mission of being a true instrument of salvation, both for those who still need to know Jesus Christ and for those who are already in the Church of God. In the case of those who are already “at home” but live contrary to the teachings of faith and the practice of charity, it is up to the brother, humbly and in charity, to make the necessary corrections, with the aim of not allowing the other to be lost in sin and, at the same time, to be able to return, with all his heart, to the community of faith and love of which he is objectively a part. Correction must be based on love, truth and the greater law of salvation. Sin is a tremendous wound for the life of the one who commits it and for the entire community, which must live in the symphony of truth, love, hope and faith. In the Church, love is the fulfillment of the Law (cf. Rom 13:8-10). Any act of personal degradation, disrespect for others, destruction of their dignity, indifference or discord must be immediately corrected within the Church, which, in turn, has its eyes fixed on God and remains vigilant, attentive to the Word of the Lord and in obedience to his determinations (cf. Ez 33:7-9). Immediately after speaking about fraternal correction, Jesus adds the power he has granted to his Church over those who insist against the foundations of its mission in the world: love, truth, life, faith and freedom. He grants the power of the keys, first of all to Peter (cf. Mt 16:18). This is a particular form of Petrine action, a ministry given directly by Jesus for the exercise of his ecclesial mission. Ultimately, he has the power to make decisions in certain situations. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (553) states that “The ‘power of the keys’ designates the authority to govern the house of God, which is the Church. Jesus, ‘the good Shepherd’ (Jn 10:11), confirmed this task after his Resurrection: ‘Feed my sheep’ (Jn 21:15-17). The power to ‘bind and loose’ means the authority to absolve sins, pronounce doctrinal judgments and make disciplinary decisions in the Church. Jesus entrusted this authority to the Church through the ministry of the apostles (cf. Mt 18:18)[1] and particularly to Peter, the only one to whom he explicitly entrusted the keys of the Kingdom”. It is also possible to say, with regard to the keys, that they can be the Faith, Morals and Sacraments of the Church; its discipline, hierarchy, doctrine and spirituality. In this way, the meanings are broadened, but all related to the authority given by Christ to Peter and the other apostles. All for the sake of all, this is the logic of unity, so that the one music of salvation may sound. It is the obligatory duty of every member of the people of God to exercise fraternal correction charitably. Not doing so means being in disagreement, that is, dissonant, in disharmony, outside the context and reality desired by God. The work of salvation belongs to everyone. Furthermore, one cannot think of a disciple of Christ outside of His Church, because that is his place, in which he lives and through which he is nourished for eternal life. The unity of the Church is, above all, a will of Christ. Whatever wound there may be in this Body, it reveals a seriousness that must be corrected. Therefore, gathered in the name of the same Christ, the Church has the power to ask God and to be heard by Him in the elimination of obstacles to the life of love and truth within it. The secret of the Christian life is the constant presence of Jesus Christ, the action of the Holy Spirit and the will of the Father. Jesus is there, by the will of the Father, through the Spirit, so that we can all achieve eternal communion with God. “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” And whatever is asked in the name of Jesus, all being in agreement, that is, in tune, desiring only one thing: the good, which God will grant them, especially when it concerns essential things such as forgiveness, the transformation of others and their salvation. Jesus' teaching makes clear the connection between Heaven and His Church, so that the Church, in the world, guarantees the presence of Heaven on earth. A big and affectionate hug. [1] Addition on my part.