September 7, 2014

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9

  You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked one that he 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. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

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Responsorial Psalm: 95:1-2.6-7.8-9
Response: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
   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. (Response)
   Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (Response)
   Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (Response)

Second Reading: Romans 13:8-10

   Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

   Jesus said to his disciples: "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. 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.' 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. 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. 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. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus
   Jesus gives the sequences of procedure for reconciliation. First go and see the person one on one. That needs courage, prayer and humility. Second step is to take someone (two or three) with you. They are to pass judgment on who is really wrong. This is to pass judgment on your own judgment. Again there is a journey of humility and introspection. Finally to the community which probably means a small group. If the brother refuses, then there is no reconciliation because the problem is not faced.
   Today’s passage gives us an idea that reconciliation should be taken seriously. Reconciliation is becoming a serious problem in relationship; among brothers, in a family, in a community, in a society, in a country, among nations, within a church and among churches. Reconciliation or forgiveness is that you are really going to tackle the issue. In this struggle for reconciliation the presence of God is with us. And at the end of it you are really going to love and accept the other without any conditions.