Sunday, September 04, 2005
23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 4, 2005
23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - A
EZEKIEL 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.
ROMANS 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.
MATTHEW 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."
REFLECTION
A recent informal survey of college students at a Catholic
university in the United States revealed the following alarming report:
Almost half of the students feel that cheating on a class assignment or
on a test is acceptable. Only 6% say they would turn to Church
teaching for guidance, when making a moral or ethical decision. Only
9% realize that participating in the Eucharistic liturgy on Sundays is
required of all practicing Catholics. 93% say that premarital sex is
OK if the couple really love one another. 80% of the students surveyed
had attended both Catholic elementary and high school.
The same trend seems to be developing among our youth, and the
business world. How many look at cheating and dishonesty as
acceptable practice. Pre-marital sex and extra-marital sex is
getting more and more common in today's culture. Instead of teaching
chastity and self-discipline, the government agencies and the U.N.are
promoting contraceptives such as condoms, pills and sterilizations.
Or, if these do not work, there's abortion.
In his encyclical Veritatis splendor the late Pope John Paul II
discussed, the effects relativism - the belief that each decides for
himself or herself what is right and what is wrong. He points out that
the claim that one must follow one's conscience becomes a mere matter
of a claim to sincerity rather than a claim to truth. Is sincerity
enough? Charlie Brown stood at the pitcher's mount after the game
saying, "I can't understand why we lost 139 to nothing. We were so
sincere."
Following one's conscience presupposes an informed and formed
conscience. It is not the same as permissiveness or licentiousness,-
the freedom to do what pleases us. Today's readings clearly presuppose
that human behavior is subject to moral evaluation and that some acts
can be judged objectively as sinful.
In our first reading, Ezekiel sets the stage by reminding us that we
are responsible for our brothers and sisters. This does not mean that
we act like busybodies poking our noses into the life and work of
others, and sit in judgment of other's behavior. What it does mean is
that when we see moral danger, we are to speak up.
This responsibility to speak up varies according to our professional
and social role.
a) Our bishops have a very high degree of responsibility,
because of their public role in the Church and society, and because of
their duty as teachers. So when the Conference of Bishops of the
Philippines (CBCP), speaks up against graft and corruption, cheating,
in election "dagdag-bawas" and other frauds, or when they speak against
the bill legalizing divorce, same sex marriage, abortion, or death
penalty, they are rightly exercising their duty as teachers of the
people.
b) Next, priests and teachers have a serious obligation to preach
and teach about what is right and what is wrong, because of their
public roles of influence.
c) Perhaps from the practical point of view, parents have a
serious and sacred obligation to teach and to model the moral values
and the teachings of our faith. Every parent knows that behavior
speaks louder and more clearly to children than do words, but
explaining moral teachings is still essential.
d) Every Christian has the duty to take responsibility for our
society through voting, defending moral behavior, challenging immoral
behavior and positively influencing the people with whom we work and
recreate.
This brings us to our second reading, in which Paul gives us the motive
for both living a moral life and the reason for our being accountable
to one another. It is the motive of love. Love is so much a part of
Christian life that Paul refers to it as a debt we owe one another.
a. Here Paul is not talking about feelings or emotion or
sentiment. Many of us identify love with feelings or emotion, like
being "in love," or love between close friends, or parents and
children. Here Paul is speaking of love as a choice to want the best
for one another, and to do what is right for one another. It is the
love of agape. As such, love expresses what the commandments require.
b. Paul sums up his thoughts by saying, "Love never does any wrong
to the neighbor...."
Matthew brings us to the final point, the question of living and
teaching moral behavior down to the practical daily life. What do we
do when someone engages in immoral behavior? What do we do when
someone wrongs us? Matthew answers these questions within his
discussion of what Jesus taught about our being community, a Church.
The answer comes not from social norms, but from the fact that we are
community, who owe one another love.
1. The first step is to point out the other's fault in private.
Because of the love we owe that person, the context must be one of
charitable correction for the good of the other. Sometimes love has to
confront the one we love, so that an evil or wrongdoing can be
corrected.
2. The second step is to appeal to the Church. This could include both
the teachings of the Church as well as persons. This helps us to
remain more objective.
3. When the other person still refuses to change, the community may
treat him or her as a Gentile or tax collector. But remember, Jesus
sets the example here by loving both Gentiles and tax collectors. In
the face of stubborn refusal to change, however, we must accept the
fact that the other has chosen not to live as a fully participating
member of the Church. In such a case, we have done what we can, and
must remain ready to forgive when the other seeks reconciliation.
Personal opinion does not determine the objective morality of human
activity. We as Catholics have a serious obligation to love and to
teach the Christian values and behavior handed on to us.
We celebrate Jesus' love for us in the Eucharist together as a
community. May his word and this representation of his love for us
strengthen us to love one another.
Let's close with a prayer that summarizes what we have been saying:
Lord, help us speak out against evil.
Give us the wisdom to say what is right,
And, to say it in the right way.
Give us the courage to realize that what we say
May not bear fruit until years after we say it.
Finally, Lord, when we are tempted
To remain silent and not speak out against evil,
Remind us of your promise
That whoever acknowledges you before others
You will acknowledge before your Father in heaven.
Amen.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
- for the victims of hurricane Katrina.
- for the good health & special intentions of Elsa & Paolo
- for the speedy recovery of Annika Nadine Uy.
- for the speedy recovery of Pacita Ocampo.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Corrine Hazel Gan Tañedo
- Birthday: Rosalia C. Kwong
- Birthday: Candice Gan Gotianuy
- Wedding Anniversary: Dondi & Aileen Narciso
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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