Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Marked by the Cross

There’s an interesting image in our first reading today. God tells the man dressed in linen to go through Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of those who remain faithful.

The mark is the Hebrew letter Thau, or Taw, which in its ancient form had a shape something like a cross. As Christians, it’s hard not to think about what happens at Baptism. One of the first things we do is trace the Sign of the Cross on the forehead of the person being baptized. We are marked with the Cross. It says something about who we are: we belong to Christ.

But if we are marked by the Cross, then we are also supposed to live differently. And that brings us to the Gospel.

Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Go tell three other people first.” He doesn’t say, “Talk about him behind his back.” He says, “Go to him.”

That’s probably one of the simplest teachings Jesus gives us, and sometimes one of the hardest to follow. Gossip is easy. Talking about someone is much easier than talking to someone. But Jesus gives us another way.

If there is a problem between us and another person, the Christian response begins not with gossip, but with a conversation.

We have been marked with the Cross. Today Jesus reminds us that the mark on our forehead should also make a difference in the words that come from our mouth.