Sunday is the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time All three readings remind us that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. This means not only reaching out to those in need, but also pulling them back from doing harm. God called Ezekiel to be the watchman for the house of Israel, speaking out to “turn (the wicked) from (their) way.” The words of Paul remind the Romans that the only debt they should have is to love one another, adding that love does no evil to the neighbor. These words can be heard as referring only to individual relationships. The fourth great speech of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, however, concerns the community, particularly its responsibility to confront a wrongdoer. First, one tries to persuade on a one-to-one basis, but if that fails, take another one or even two with you. And if that fails, get the community involved. Jesus’ final words can sound as though a time might come to cut a wrongdoer off. But remember that tax collectors and sinners were the very ones for whom Jesus came. The Christian community is never to give up on one another. Question for this week: Have you ever needed help in changing your ways? Does anyone need your support to change?
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:30:43 +0000
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