INTRODUCTION
The common theme of today’s readings is God’s command concerning our spiritual responsibility and individual accountability for others in our families, parishes and community. This accountability arises from our identity as God’s children. As brothers and sisters in Christ, then, we become each other’s “keepers,” and take on a painful, triple responsibility. We must lovingly and prudently correct each other when we err, forgive those who offend us, and ask forgiveness from those we have offended. (Fr Anthony Kadavil)
FIRST READING: Ezekiel 33: 7-9
EZEKIEL (a priest) was one of the people taken into Babylonian exile (587 B.C.) during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Five years later, Yahweh called Ezekiel to be a prophet, prophesying both doom for the city of Jerusalem and hope for the Israelites.
The literary genre of this passage takes the model of the military encampment of the time whereby a guard was usually set in place to sound warning whenever there is foreign invasion. Thus, if a guard sounds a warning and the rest of the encampment fails to rally, the guard cannot be held accountable. However, if the guard sees danger and fails to sound a warning and the enemies infiltrate the encampment and kill the soldiers, then the guard is held responsible as a capital offence, and might be executed for causing such a fatality.
This is a prophetic model that God obliges Ezekiel to assume over the house of Israel. Evidently, his primary mission is to denounce evil among the people and not necessarily to anchor their conversion. In other words, he is not charged with assessing the spiritual state of the people for Yahweh himself will do it. The strong language used in the text about how the prophet will die if he fails to sound the warning of Yahweh does not in any way indicate Yahweh’s arbitrary will to enslave the prophet, rather it points to the call of the prophet to be responsible and faithful to his prophetic mission. The seriousness of the mission lies in the fact that evil must be denounced at all cost. The wicked must not continue to thrive. Justice must be upheld. This is the mission of the Church. It is the mission of every Christian to confront evil especially when melted on the vulnerable brethren. The mission of Ezekiel is the mission of all. No one should feel excluded from saying no to evil. It is not an option. It is an obligation that comes with our identity as Christians. We do not have any excuse not to say no to evil. With this message today, we learn that any act of indifference over evil has a consequence. God will surely hold us responsible if we fail to sound the warning when we see people living sinful lives. It is not an occasional business since none of us can retire from the task. We have already been set on elevated places as God’s watchmen to give warning of approaching danger to our brothers and sisters and this we must carry out not just as a duty but as motivated by our love and desire for the salvation of their souls.
SECOND READING: Romans 13: 8-10
In the preceding verses (vv 1-7) St. Paul admonishes the Christian converts of Rome who might have felt that their conversion is a lift away from civic responsibilities to be submissive to the authorities and to pay their taxes. Paul’s argument stems from the fact that God is the supreme authority, therefore every other authority is under Him and He is the author. Today, the apostle goes forward to underline that every action should be carried out not just as a duty but out of love. He insists on the obligation to love one another as a sign of and fulfilment of the commandments. The obedience to the law without love does not guarantee them the presence of God, since the law in itself cannot save. Thus, love is the basis of the law, and the law itself is fulfilled by loving ones neighbor. Like the Christian community of Rome, Paul reminds us of the obligation to love one another which eventually should transform us as guards of each other’s soul. Hence, any action that does not gear towards the love of the other makes us gentiles since the true and intrinsic character of the Christians is love (the life of the early Christians is a living testimony).
GOSPEL: Matthew 18: 15-20
It is good to recall that our Gospel dates to the late first century when the neophyte Church was suffering opposition from the Jews as well as heinous persecutions from the roman emperors. There were equally growing tensions and disputes from within. However, in the face of the persecutions from without, it is natural that the only way in which the Church could maintain its vivacity and resistance is by living together in harmony. Thus, in this chapter Matthew highlights Jesus’ emphasis on the importance of internal brotherhood. Although Christian charity is the concern for the individual well-being, but the emphasis in this passage is that the unity and general welfare of the “ekklesia” (the Church) is paramount and non-negotiable.
Unity is a fundamental character of the Church and should be a principle that sets her apart from the secular society where the drive for individual rights tends to overshadow unitary and collective responsibilities for each other. Experience has shown that in the secular society, people often walk away from relationships at will without restrictions. On the contrary, Jesus teaches today on the need to explore different possibilities in the quest for reconciliation. This is simply because the identity of a Christian lies in his unity with the Church, and the reason why he/she should not be let easily off the hook is not necessarily for the good of the Church but for the good of the individual whose decamp could play down his salvation.
Jesus uses the expression “YOUR BROTHER” in this context not to refer to one who shares same family ties with another (though it also applies since all are called to salvation) but in the context of faith community. He recognizes the imperfection and defection that could possibly exist, “SINS AGAINST YOU”. In other words, the Church is not an assembly of perfect persons, but imperfect persons seeking for perfection in which each one must adopt the character of prudence in dealing with each other’s weaknesses: “SHOW HIM HIS FAULT BETWEEN YOU AND HIM” (v. 15b). Since the goal is to regain the offender at all cost, the first step is discreet confrontation devoid of unnecessary publicity and embarrassment. This is a most respectful approach to fraternal correction. But of course, human beings can actually prove difficult to deal with, and sometimes no amount of prudence is enough to win them back. This calls for a further step of action: “BUT IF HE DOESN’T LISTEN, TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE WITH YOU” (v. 16a). Although Jesus did not specify, but these certainly refer to fellow brethren since it wouldn’t be appropriate to use people outside the faith community to serve as witnesses to internal problems of a given faith community. Matthew who is addressing to Jewish converts to Christianity uses the language they are familiar with within their former religious milieu. The call for two or three witnesses is one of the prescriptions of the Torah: “A single witness will not suffice to convict anyone of a crime or offence of any kind; whatever the misdemeanour, the evidence of two witnesses or three is required to sustain the charge”. (Deuteronomy 19:15). This is meant to guarantee fair hearing and to prevent injustice and false accusations. Such practice was further emphasized in another context in the letter of St. Paul to his disciple and bishop Timothy as regards how he ought to manage the Christian community entrusted to his care: “Never accept any accusation brought against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses.” (1 Timothy 5:19).
This is really a strict teaching about community living and fraternal correction. However, Jesus insists on the virtue of reconciliation as a necessary path to healing that requires rigorous process: “IF HE REFUSES TO LISTEN, TELL IT TO THE ASSEMBLY”. Here Jesus makes reference to the Church (v. 17a) the assembly of believers. This does not only ascertains the supremacy of the Church over every individual inclination, but it equally shows that the Church is a sacrament of salvation, mediating between God and men. That is why Jesus closes his discourse of reconciliation with the Church. The Church is a mother who by nature cannot but nurture her children. Thus, it is unthinkable that she will rebel against her own. Here Jesus makes a very important statement that underlines the centrality of the Church in the salvation of men such that anyone that cuts himself off or rebels against her becomes a sinner and a stranger: “LET HIM BE TO YOU AS A GENTILE OR A TAX COLLECTOR” (code words for non believers or outsiders). Evidently, the ministry of Jesus was characterized with welcoming sinners, but sinners who were ready to rewrite their lives on a new page. But when Jesus says that such a brother who refuses reconciliation should be taken as Gentile or as a tax collector (Mat. 5:47; 6:7, 32, 9:10; 10:18, 11:19; 20:19), He simply indicates the seriousness of unforgiveness and lack of sense of reconciliation. Meanwhile, the last part of this teaching of Jesus is meant to reinforce the authority of the Church as a divine organ and the necessity of identifying with her as a sacrament of salvation.
“TRUELY 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” (v. 18b). In this chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reaffirms unambiguously the same authority he previously gave to Peter in the chapter 16 verse 19. But in this case He speaks about the Church as a body of Christ, a divine institution and a sacrament of reconciliation of the world. The authority of the Church to “bind” and “loose” is only possible because she is the body of Christ. It is not an authority to decide or determine the action of God, rather the ability to conform to the will of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus concludes this teaching on the Church as a living presence of God with the pledge of his constant presence:
“…FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE I AM IN THE MIDST OF THEM” (vv. 19a, 20a). “In my name,” refers exclusively to those who identify the authority of Christ as the Head of the body the Church and are in communion with him. According to the Jewish Mishnah, “If two sits together and words of the law are gathered between them, the Divine Presence rests between them” (Aboth 3:2). Matthew continues to present his text in a way that allows his Jewish audience to grasp the message. Jesus does not forbid personal prayers, neither does He say if one prays alone He will not be there. On the contrary, He simply puts accent on the beauty of communion, the communion of brethren: “Ubi Caritas et Amor Deus ibi est” (where love and charity abide, there God dwells). The Church is a family of God where God makes a dwelling place. Therefore, Jesus simply encourages communion with the Church as against any form of rebellious spirit that seeks to claim autonomy over ecclesial unity (cf. sermon writer).
LIFE MESSAGE
1. CORRECT WITH CHARITY
Today Jesus teaches us about our obligation to fraternal correction. We are called to be each other’s keeper. We live in a human society and often we struggle with repeated weaknesses. Though it is important to know that sometimes people do not decide to be bad, but certain circumstances make them to grow use to evil and are unable to rescue themselves. We are called to correct their errors and to win them back to the right path. However, we have often carried out this obligation in a wrong way. Fraternal correction is a charity action. We don’t need to remind people about how sinful they are, rather our duty is to help them to realize the need for change.
Another problem associated with our inability to launch a correction is our guilty conscience. Sometimes we feel that since our sins are also know, so as sinners, we feel we don’t have the moral courage or the right to correct the other. But Jesus emphatically affirms that we are our brothers’ keepers, and we have the serious obligation to correct one who has injured us in order to help our neighbors retain their Christian Faith and practice, especially through our model Christian lives. Have we offered advice and encouragement to our friends and neighbors and co-workers when it was needed, and loving correction in private where that was possible?
2. THERE IS POWER IN UNITY:
Today’s Gospel reminds us of the good we can do together, and of how we can do it. Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” If any group of us will gather, work, and act with the Holy Spirit guiding us, we become much more than simply the sum of our numbers. Two becomes more than two, and three becomes more than three. The sum of our individual ideas, resources and abilities becomes much more because of the synergy that God’s Presence provides. In our Faith community, we act together so that we may help one another in God’s Name, thereby multiplying our resources and ability to do what God calls us to do. Today, Jesus makes it clear how important we are, one to another. Through our links to one another in Christ, a capacity rises in our community, enabling us to draw on God’s power to make healing and life-giving love more effective among us, His people. We come together, we stay together, we work together –- in our Lord’s Name, bringing to focus the Presence of God and unleashing the power of the Spirit –- to transform our lives and the lives of all God’s children. When we gather in Jesus’ name and invoke his presence, the action opens our hearts to allow Him to be a part of us and of what we do. That is what we experience at each Eucharist—we in Him and He in us (fr Anthony kadavil)
PRAYER
O God by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. Amen.
PAX VOBIS!
