We are no longer strangers or sojourners (cf. Eph. 2:19). We are brothers and sisters with a Father in heaven from whom every earthly father receives his identity (cf. Eph. 3:14). We have the same Father in heaven as Jesus (cf. Joh. 20:17) and so we are all one family. That is what Church really means. It is the covenant people of God. It is the spiritual Israel (cf. Gal. 6:16). Israel starts off as just a nuclear family and grows to a tribe, and then a nation. Finally, in Jesus, the family becomes international in the Catholic Church.
But we know practically speaking that family doesn't mean that our relationships are any easier. They become more important to us which, if anything, makes them even more challenging. We must be our brother's keeper, not turning a blind eye when we see him heading toward destruction.
If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ”
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
If we do something to wrong a brother or sister we can't leave it that way. We have to go to them and try to make things right again (cf. Mat. 5:3). We have to ask his or her forgiveness and try to reestablish the relationship if we can. It can be even more challenging if the brother sins against us rather than we against them. We might prefer to leave well enough alone. But we are still called to try to win over our brother. When our motives might be in question because we are involved it is often necessary to bring in others to help us. An intervention of several people carries more weight than just our own warning, which might otherwise be dismissed. It isn't enough just be get back to neutral, if we can help it. At the very least, "Love does no evil to the neighbor". That is enough to fulfill civil law and ensure harmonious societies. But we are meant to be family. So, "let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (cf. 1 Joh. 3:1).
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? (cf. Jam. 2:16).
And the Church is always there to present to us the standard by which make these judgments. She binds and looses that we might have assurance enough to know sins when we see them. She wants us to have sufficient confidence in her to bring her wisdom into our relationships.
In family we are often tempted to harden our hearts. But "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” That is why unity is essential. We need this unity because the world needs Jesus here. It needs the floodgates of the Father's blessings opened. And they are opened we agree. They are opened when we come together with one accord like the disciples at Pentecost. There can be no renewed Pentecost apart from renewed unity. The secret then and now is to gather around the Blessed Virgin. Let unite with her in praise to the LORD most high.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
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