Twenty Third Sunday of Year A

Ezekiel 33:7-9; Rom 13:8-10 and Matthew 18:15-20

Sometimes, in the Bible, we come across certain passages that are as relevant and practical in our lives today as they were thousands of years ago when they were first written. Today’s readings are good examples of such passages. Together they remind us that as faithful Christians it is our responsibility to reach out to

our not-so-faithful brothers and sisters and bring them back into the fold. They even go on to recommend practical steps on how to go about doing this.

The readings suggest what we must do as Christians. In the first reading, God tells Ezekiel that he is to be a "watchman for the house of Israel,” obliged to warn Israel of moral dangers.  If Ezekiel should refrain from speaking God’s word intended to convert the wicked, God will hold him responsible for the death of the wicked.  In the second reading, St. Paul points out that the love we should have for one another should be our only reason for admonishing and correcting the those who offend us.  Love seeks the good of the one who is loved. Therefore, we should admonish one another so that we all may repent and grow in holiness. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches that true Christian charity obliges a Christian not only to assist his neighbors in their temporal and spiritual needs with material help and prayer, but also with correction and counsel for an erring brother or sister who has damaged the community by his or her public sin. If the erring one refuses a one-on-one loving correction by the offended party, then the Christian is to try to involve more people: first, "one or two others,” and eventually "the Church." Finally, Jesus mentions the efficacy of community prayer in solving such problems, for Christ is present in the praying Christian community. 

This is serious because modern believers tend to think that they have no right to intervene in the private lives of their fellow believers. Others evade the issue saying, “As a sinner, I don’t have the moral courage or the right to correct anyone.” But Jesus emphatically affirms that we are our brothers' keepers, and we have the serious obligation to correct others.  If we don’t, we carry the blame! If we love them, we will reach out to them in a pastoral way. And when we do, our God of love will be there with us. As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Have we offered advice and encouragement to our friends and neighbors and coworkers when it was needed, and loving correction in private for a personal offense where that was possible?  

Jesus is practically telling us what to do when someone we love hurts us. We should confront the person who is causing the hurt: “If your brother sins against you go and tell him his fault……” Like Prophet Ezekiel, he teaches that it is the duty of brethren to correct an erring brother or sister. But unlike Ezekiel, Jesus points out a proper way to get erring brethren to reform: The confrontation should not be done in anger or annoyance. It must be done out of concern for him/her; not just out of our desire to appease our wounded pride. Failure to do so shows lack of love for the brother or sister.

Though confrontation takes courage and involves risk, but a little honest chat may clear the air. For the most part, the person offending may not be aware of the magnitude of harm he/she may have caused.  But when it is carefully pointed out; and he/she realizes it, you have won him/her over. Thus, the highest point we can attain in a confrontation is when we get the culprit to see what he has done wrong and to condemn it by himself. If he does so, forgiveness must be given without any other condition. But if he/she does not reform, what else should be done? Jesus recommends that we take the matter to the community, namely, family members, the church, or some group of concerned or responsible people. 

Jesus did not teach us to endure the wrong done to us, or to suffer it, etc. He says “Go and confront him with his wrong doing,” Or “Get the family to settle it; and get him to reform. Some people have only two approaches when they have issues with another person; to shut down completely or tell everyone else about it apart from the person in question.

It is important to point out here that dialogue between the two parties should come before a third-party engagement and the third-party should be a neutral person who could tell the truth without judging or taking sides.  In our day and age, most individuals who come in as third-parties in conflict situations end up causing more harm and estrangement to the relationship. Being third-party is not a license to insult and disrespect people.  The invitation is to help to correct an erring brother or sister and it has a unique purpose – to help erring brethren to amend their ways; and not to score points against them. In the mind of Christ, to seek reconciliation is more important than any burnt offering, (Lk 5: 23-25). If all efforts to make the erring one to reform fail, then Treat him like a Gentile or Tax Collector.

On the face value, we would assume that our Lord is suggesting that one should give up when a brother refuses to accept reconciliation after many efforts. To understand what our Lord means by “treating him like a Gentile or Tax Collector,” we need to go back to the Gospels to rediscover our Lord’s approach to them (Gentiles and Tax Collectors). In all, our Lord’s dealing with them he shows them special love and attention. So, treating a brother who refuses reconciliation like a Gentile or Tax Collector, means that we should show them more love.

Yes, it is not always easy to speak out. But it is usually better to risk having a friction and solve a problem, rather than allow it to fester till it explodes or pushes, for example, the couple farther and farther away from each other. Many of us have the notion that loving someone means always agreeing or not hurting his or her feelings. But true love and friendship also means criticising or disagreeing when a loved one goes astray. And sometimes the best service you can do to a person you love is to disagree with him when he is not doing right.

There was once a manager in an office, who had been drinking heavily. Everybody was talking behind his back. Because he was the boss, nobody dared broach the problem to his attention. He was heading over the precipice. One day, a guy mustered enough courage to approach him. Instead of talking about him, he talked to him. “Sir, we’ve observed that you’re drinking too much,” he began. “Don’t you see you’re killing yourself? If you don’t stop, you’ll destroy yourself – and us.” That encounter was an eye-opener. Remorseful, the manager eventually took the painful steps to rehabilitate himself. He changed because someone had the guts to stand up to him.

A man was also seen constantly with another woman who was not his wife. His friends talked, even joked as he drifted to extramarital affair. Poor guy, his marriage broke up. All the friends could say was, “I could see it coming,” but why did they not budge a finger to call his attention?

Let us try to understand this lesson very well. In the first place, it is the offended that is asked, in the passage, to start the process of reconciliation: “if your brother sins against you, go and tell him”. This is typical of our Lord Jesus Christ; with him there is always a reversal of the situation; we remember the turning of the other cheek to the one that slaps you on one (Matt.5:39). In our day-to-day life, it is usually the offender or sinner that it asked to go and sue for peace. But here, he is telling us that it is the prerogative of the innocent person to sue for peace. This is the route of love. 

This is instructive because God never gave up on us. After the fall of our first parents, God went ahead to design a process of our reconciliation with him which culminated in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s difficult to imagine any of us confronting a person over an insult as Jesus suggested in today’s gospel. However, in the first reading Ezekiel puts it in a way that may be more applicable. He writes, “if you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his ways, the wicked shall die for his guilt but i will hold you responsible for the death. But, if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, you shall save yourself.” We might justify a lack of action by saying, “I should mind my own business.” But that doesn’t seem to be the thrust of our readings. So, what is God saying to our society and to us? 

In the first reading, he’s saying, “yes, we should be involved. Yes, we are our brother’s keeper.” Before we are overwhelmed with the thought of such a responsibility, let’s remember that most of us are involved in following his advice. If you are a grandparent, a parent, an aunt or an uncle, you are doing just what God advises. You are lovingly correcting your most precious treasure, your children, nieces and nephews. You may be saying to yourself, “Gee, I never thought of it that way.”

The society in which you and I live condones many types of violence, pornography, lying, sexual misconduct, abortion, etc. Etc. The tragedy is a simple one: no one seems to speak out against it. Some might say I shouldn’t refer to these conditions from the pulpit. But remember, John the Baptist told everyone, “Repent.” The Old Testament prophets said the same to the kings of Israel. Some died for their advice … but they followed god’s advice … they spoke out. God is saying to us, “”if you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, i will hold you responsible for his death.

In all these, when we put the messages of Ezekiel, Paul and that of Jesus together, one single theme stands out, namely’ “being our brothers/sisters keeper,” watching out for neighbors. In the case of Ezekiel, bringing them hope and support when everybody seems to be hopeless and despair. In the case of Paul, truly no one who loves his neighbor would think of stealing his neighbor’s property, abusing his children or wife, since “Love does no evil to the neighbor.” What stands out in the Gospel also is that, we be a watchman or a watchwoman to our neighbors in our prayers and counseling. Those pieces of advice we gently and compassionately give to our grandchildren, children, friends, partners, colleagues, spouses count. They go a long way to help. You never know! We are called to love and to watch our neighbors back, speak well about our neighbors, whether they are there or not.