Can We Stop and Talk A While?

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time06 September 2020
First reading Ezekiel 33:7-9

Thus says the LORD:

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, “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.

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.

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                                                                          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

By Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

Remember your petty quarrels with your siblings over a toy or candy? When your brother did not want to share his stuff, you called out to your mother for her to mediate. If it still didn’t work out, both you and your mom raised the issue to your dad. And your loving disciplinarian father shall not only settle things right but will also give you and your brother some bread to eat.  Thereafter, you will find yourself playing happily again with your sibling just like nothing happened.

The above scenario is the same correcting process that Jesus wants to teach us in today's Gospel, the importance of dialogue in order to have a peaceful community.

If a brother sins against you, talk to him in private, hoping that you settle it that way. If he does not listen, bring one or two people to serve as witnesses and mediators. If he still refuses to listen, tell the church for it has wisdom that may convince your brother to resolve the issue. And if he declines even the church, continue reaching out to him by including him in your prayer and asking God to soften his heart and lead him to the road to forgiveness. If we could only choose to discuss things over and settle our differences with love, then we will have unity and a peaceful society.

Unfortunately, this is not yet the case. As we progress with modernization, we become more allergic to dialogues. People do not want to convene. I remember a priest once said in his homily about the "throw away" culture which affects our relationships. We treat our brothers and sisters like a mere thing that can be dumped or be replaced right away when we do not like how they behave or if they disagree with our ideologies. Unfollow! Unfriend! Unsubscribe! How easy for us to take someone for granted? Is it really difficult to stop for a while and try to patch things up?

Prophet Ezekiel in the First Reading also reminds us today of our responsibility toward each other. While we exert efforts in our own redemption, we are also expected to help others be delivered from their wickedness. It was seconded by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans in the Second Reading saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Because we are God’s children, then, we should be responsible for each other. However, correcting our brother and sister must always be accompanied with love and tenderness.

Even though we are in a modern world, we are still bonded by the old but always relevant call of the Lord to love. As He looks forward to be with us in eternal life, let us also continue to hope in the goodness of humankind that can be discovered through dialogue.

Prayer

Almighty ever living God, teach us Your ways of loving one another. Spur us fruitful conversations that will open our eyes into the kindness of everyone and discard indifference. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.