Homily-Twenty-Third Sunday of Year A
Charity of Fraternal Correction in Our Christian Communities
v Ezek 33:7-9
v Ps 95:1-2, 6-9
v Rom 13:8-10
v Matt 18:15-20
Today’s
readings seem to be very straightforward. They invite each and every one of us to
deeply reflect on the themes of fraternal correction, conflict resolution, and unlimited
forgiveness in our Christian/ecclesial communities. How do we relate with one another
when it comes to making corrections or helping to bring back to faith a “lost sheep”
or a weaker member of the community?
In the
first reading, Ezekiel, the prophet of the exile, was confronted with the problems
facing those Israelites returning from exile in Babylon. This exile was brought
about by the Israelites’ idolatry, disobedience, and stubbornness of heart—their
breaking the covenant of God’s loving relationship with them. It is to this same
community that the psalmist sings, “O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts” (Ps 95:7-8).
Ezekiel,
a contemporary of Jeremiah, preached to this once-exiled community that there is
always hope. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, a hope of restoration.
But for Ezekiel, this must be accompanied by a complete change of heart (metanoia).
The Prophet Ezekiel also wants us to be aware that we owe ourselves, individually
and as a community, the prophetic responsibility of speaking out. We owe
ourselves the moral duty of assisting and correcting one another when necessary
for the good of the community and the church. But we must do this with mercy, deep
compassion, and mutual respect.
We often
feel humiliated or put down if we are corrected by another person, whether that
person is a friend, parent, superior, spouse, professor, or formator. With love,
humility, and openness, we should not feel this way. This is the love that Saint
Paul spent most of his apostolic career preaching about in almost all his thirteen
letters. In the second reading he says, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor;
therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:10).
Similarly,
in today’s Gospel reading we are told that if another member of the church sins
against you, you must point out the mistake when the two of you are alone, in the
hope that he or she will listen, and the matter will be resolved (Matt 18:15). But
if that person will not listen, you must take one or two other members as your witnesses
(Matt 18:16). This reflects Deuteronomy 19:15, which shows that multiple witnesses
can be persuasive. You only have to tell it to the church or the local assembly
if that person still refuses to listen to you or the witnesses you had brought along
with you. Only then should you proceed to treat that person as a “Gentile and a
tax collector” (Matt 18:17). A tax collector? This might sound a little harsh!
But I will
take this proverbially, knowing that in many places in Scripture, especially Matthew
8:5-13, Jesus extends his healing mercies to the servant of the Gentile tax collectors.
Recall Jesus’ compassion to Zacchaeus and many others that society considered
to be terrible sinners. He was accused of being a drunkard, a glutton, and a friend
of tax collectors and sinners. Jesus teaches us that we must treat weak members
of our community with love and compassion, individually and as a church.
I do not
know if you have noticed how short this passage from Matthew’s Gospel is (Matt 18:15-20).
Yet within just five verses, the verb “to listen” (akouein, “if he/she
listen to you,” “if he does not listen to you,” “if he/she refuses to listen to
you”) appears four times: once in verses 15 and 16, and twice in verse 17.
“To listen”
in the Gospel of Matthew is not the same thing as listening to the radio or the
news. It includes an element of an appropriate response. Many had listened to Jesus
and responded inappropriately, including the scribes and the Pharisees. Some people
can likewise listen to music on the radio and get up and dance inappropriately.
Listening in Matthew’s Gospel means taking notice of, paying attention to, responding
positively, repenting, being present for one another, and understanding the needs
of your neighbor. In our own context, it means understanding the need of a fellow
member of this seminary community or your spouse or friend, including the need to
forgive and to be forgiven.
Let me
give you another scriptural example. Recall Matthew 10:14, where Jesus sent the
apostles on a mission and instructed them: “If anyone will not welcome you or
listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house
or town.” We are invited to listen to and be welcoming
to one another—and this, I must say, is something we are doing well here. There
can always be room for improvement!
The community
that prays together, confident that the Lord is in their midst—be it here in seminary
or at home—has a responsibility to the fidelity of its members. The ultimate goal
of each one of us is to love and care for one another and to persuade our weak brothers
and sisters to repent.
Let us
pray at this Mass for the spirit of love, compassion, oneness, fraternal correction,
and conflict resolution within the confines of our Christian communities. Let
us pray also for the grace to always genuinely listen to one another with loving-care.
Reflection
Questions:
1. In what
ways are you prophetic in your home or workplace?
2. How
often do you forgive or act charitable toward your neighbor or your environment?
3. How
does your personal hope and trust in the Lord strengthen the despaired members of
your faith community?
4. How
much have you contributed toward the common good?
