Go Along to Get Along?

Sep 9: Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings are all about letting things slide. Live and let live. It’s not our place to judge.

Reading 1

Ez 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.

We are responsible for each other. Just like we wouldn’t walk away when someone is drowning in a pool, we shouldn’t walk away when they’re drowning in sin.

That doesn’t mean we should say, “Hey, that’s a sin!” and call it good. That’d be like telling the drowning person, “Hey, you’re drowning!”

The Lord tells Ezekiel, dissuade the wicked. That’s a much longer, more involved process than just pointing out an error. It involves being a trustworthy person, so that they’ll accept our judgement. It means being a true friend, that they’ll listen to. It means living out God’s commands, so that we can be an example.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. 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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

The Psalmist calls us to worship God, with a warning. The Israelites in the desert had a closer relationship with God, yet they challenged Him. Even without seeing a pillar of fire in the desert, we should be aware that God made us, and kneel down and thank Him for that.

Reading 2

Rom 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.

While I wrote yesterday’s reflection, I thought writing about the protestant reformation was kind of random. But here’s Bishop Barron talking about the same thing today—

Alleluia

2 Cor 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus saves the world, but we still have work to do ourselves.

Gospel

Mt 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."

We’re all influenced by the society and culture we live in. Here, Jesus wants to make sure that we form a society that is worth living in, and influences us for the better.

He doesn’t want us to embarrass or shame a sinner. (And let’s be honest, that sinner is going to be us at one point or another.) He wants us to help them. So, like Ezekiel says, we start by trying to persuade them. Then, we bring in backup. Finally, we bring to bear the influence of the whole community.

This only works if the whole community is in line with God’s law. The community must be in communion with God. Otherwise, the whole project is askew from the start.

As Paul writes, love is the fulfillment of the law. So if we, the whole community, are coming from a place of love, we know we’ll be able to point the sinner in the right direction. Which is super helpful, because again, sometimes we’re the person who needs that nudge.