Today’s Gospel could easily be seen as a step by step guide on how to deal with people who sin against you. It may look like an escalation strategy at first glance. In today’s terms…call them out, tell your friends, put them on blast via social media post. But of course we know that’s not what God is calling us to do.
Today’s world seems to be in a place of extremes. People video things and post them online for clicks. Conflict gets amplified quickly and goes viral. The “church’s” comments are often not helpful; they lack context and care oftentimes.
So, I’m not surprised that the students I work with avoid conflict like the plague. If there is a roommate conflict, they skip all steps and go right to asking their parents for help and email the university president or vice president. No longer do people start by talking to the other human face to face. They’re scared. They don’t want to be perceived negatively; they don’t want to offend; they don’t want to escalate. And can we blame them? Our news cycle glorifies yelling over one another. Road rage sometimes ends in violence.
How we experience people is so critical in our relationship with God. One of my favorite quotes is by St. Ignatius. “Love ought to show itself in deeds more than words”. (I’m writing this reflection on the feast of St. Ignatius – a special day for someone who has worked at a Jesuit school for a quarter of a century). Today’s Gospel reminds us that we do not stop trying to be in communion with one another. We forgive. If we don’t heal that relationship, we try again. We enlist assistance. We have patience in those interactions and keep doing the work to support one another in our journeys.
So, for me that means having awkward conversations. It means helping students lean into that tension and calling people into dialogue. It means not avoiding the situation or amplifying it on social media. It means listening through all the noise nowadays.
How do you show God’s love to one another especially when you are wronged? How do you show that love in deeds?
Michele Bogard
As a product of formal Catholic education for 12 years, I truly believe my faith formation has come from working at Creighton University for the past quarter of century. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, I came to Creighton thinking that I would be in Omaha for a year or two and then move home. Little did I know how Creighton and Ignatian spirituality would alter my life plans! From accompanying students on Campus Ministry retreats, learning from former student/staff members who are now Jesuits, to working the Spiritual Exercises with the Deglman Center, I attempt to be a lifelong learner.
At work, I hope to help foster experiences where students feel a sense of belonging and focus on wellbeing, At home, I am a mother to a son who is a great source of joy, laughter and sore muscles (I am not an effective goalie for our front yard soccer practices and my tennis game is pretty rusty). A new gifted Kindle will hopefully help me catch up with a backlogged list of books I’ve been wanting to read. Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a favorite author. Travel is a lifetime passion; my son and I are already planning our next adventure.
I look forward to learning together with you as we reflect on the daily readings together.
