Sunday, September 10th, 2023 – Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A Readings: Ezequiel 33:7-9, Psalm 95 “ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”, Romans 13: 8-10, Matthew 18 FRATERNAL CORRECTION

       We often ask ourselves: What must I do to live my Christian life the way God wants me to? If we pay attention to the gospel each Sunday, we will find the answer quickly, and it will motivate us. Today Jesus reminds us of something crucial and fundamental: we are all brothers and sisters. We do not show our love for our neighbor by kind, praising words alone, but also, when necessary, with words of encouragement or even correction.

Sisters and Brothers:
1. We are all responsible for one another. If we truly are brothers and sisters we cannot act as if we had nothing to do with one another. It is often so easy to just criticize each other instead of helping each other by good example to live like Christians. What most helps people to follow Christ is seeing others living out their faith, hope and love. We all know this through our own experience. A true Christian should share the weight of his neighbor’s successes and failures, his growth or his sin. The sins of our neighbor are not just “his own problem”, but they are in some way “ours”. Precisely because we love our neighbor so much his sins should feel like a failure not only on his part, but on ours.

2. Jesus teaches us the importance of correcting our neighbor at the right time. In the first reading the Lord urges the prophet Ezequiel not to be silent, because his silence would make him responsible for the ruin of his people. God made him a “watchman” among his people, so that he would sound the alarm when necessary and remind them not to stray from the ways of God. What is the use of a watchman who does not sound the alarm? What is the point of a guard dog that does not bark at strangers? But no one is a stranger to a Christian: he should feel responsible for the well being of all. “If your brother sins, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.” Since we are responsible for our brothers and sisters, we must be willing to enter into their lives, whenever we can help – but always with love.

3. We are all brothers, sons of the same Father. Today’s gospel begins with these words: “If your brother…” This is the key for how we should behave with others: not indifferent, not superior, but as brothers. Yes, we should correct our brothers and sisters with love: just as a father is not always silent, but speaks to his children and encourages them and sometimes scolds them; as a teacher is with his students; as a friend is to a friend; as Christ was, who knew when to correct his disciples – especially Peter – with delicacy and vigor, and so help them mature in the right direction. With love, from love.

     To end, let us not forget that when we are the ones who receive words of correction, we must react well. At the time it hurts when others must tell us that something is not right, but later we see that it helps us to improve. Others often know our defects much better than we do. With the help of God, and with our own sincere effort to help one another, we will feel more and more like brothers and sisters each day.

Amen.
Source: ePriest.com / Best Practices and Homily Resources for Catholic Priests