Lectionary: 127
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.
Responsorial Psalm
ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R/ (8) 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.
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.
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.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: "APPOINTED WATCHMAN"
"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." –Ezekiel 33:7
When we see someone sinning, we must repent of our own sins (Mt 7:5), petition God to give life to the sinner (1 Jn 5:16), and warn the person sinning. If we don't do this, we might be held responsible for the sinner's death (Ez 33:8).
If the person sinning is a Christian, we should warn him in a personal conversation just between the two of us (Mt 18:15). This usually works, especially if we don't tell anyone else, even our spouse, about the sin. If this personal warning doesn't result in repentance, we should meet with the person sinning and two or three witnesses (Mt 18:16-17). This will usually clear up any misunderstanding and be a stronger call to repentance. If this doesn't work, we should refer the situation to the Church (Mt 18:17). After informing the person sinning, we should refer it to the leader, pastor, bishop, and/or apostolic delegate. Their responsibility is to take it from there. Then we should repent of our sins and petition the Lord to give life to the sinner (see 1 Jn 5:16). "Again I tell you, if two of you join your voices on earth to pray for anything whatever, it shall be granted you by My Father in heaven" (Mt 18:19).
PRAYER: Father, may I love people enough to tell them the truth (Eph 4:15). May I repent of the selfishness of permissiveness.
PROMISE: "Love never wrongs the neighbor, hence love is the fulfillment of the law." –Rm 13:10
PRAISE: Alleluia! Because we believe in Jesus risen, we will be saved (Rm 10:9) and be risen from the dead! Alleluia!
Be an inspiration, kindly Share.
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