Walking with Jesus: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, September 10, 2023

Ezekiel 33:7-9, Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 18:15-20

Times are constantly changing. I remember growing up in a neighborhood where we knew a number of people living on our block. When I was a sophomore in high school we moved to another side of town, lived there for 12 years and knew only a few of our neighbors. It seemed the “unwritten rule” was privacy and not wanting to get involved. We identified more with our community at church than our neighborhood community. The focus of the Commandments, and the Great Commandments of love as taught by Jesus, are summed up in Paul today: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [Romans 13:9]

A Peanuts comic strip zeroes in on the difficulty of living love: Linus has just told Lucy that he would like to be a doctor when he grows up. “You — a doctor!” Lucy says. “Ha, that’s a big laugh. You could never be a doctor. You know why? Because you don’t love mankind, that’s why.” She skips away from him, laughing. In the last frame, Linus yells after her: “I do love mankind — it’s people I can’t stand.”

Paul sets today's theme saying that all the commandments are summed up in loving one’s neighbor as oneself: Love is the fulfillment of the law. All the commandments are “summed up” in the love commandment. Now a reflection: What does Paul mean by love? Paul is reflecting on the love that Christ made plain when He died for our sins. The quality of this love is sincere and without pretense, not putting on an act. This love blesses the enemy and refuses to retaliate. We turn to the readings to help us in our reflection.

The last part of the book of Ezekiel begins with a review of his initial commission as a sentinel for his people and continues reminding the exiles to do what is good. They are on the lookout and watch others. All will be judged — not on their successes but on their faithfulness. The verses that follow our reading reveal that, ultimately, God desires mercy and always welcomes a change of heart ... a redirection toward His love and living that love. Am I living in this way? Am I loving, or am I selecting who I choose to love?

Paul is teaching the Romans, and us, that there is really one commandment which is universal and covers every situation. It is the commandment of love. The other commandments of the law — the 10 given to Moses — the 614 interpretations — are no more than examples of what love may mean in particular situations. There are two very important points we can easily miss: First, Paul is talking about love of neighbor. He is not really concerned with people in general, about those in other countries or universal humanity. He is speaking about our neighbors: those we are personally involved with, those we meet, those we relate to each day. Paul implies we are to apply Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan to each and every one. Second, we are to love ourselves. We know what we owe ourselves. We tend to understand ourselves and are sensitive to our feelings, care for our personal needs, and respect ourselves. This is the norm for loving others: to love them, understand their feelings and needs, and protect and respect them. “Love your neighbor as yourself” makes Christian love very clear, concrete and necessary to those in our lives.   

Matthew is fine-tuning the love command. We hear about the duty a Christian has to correct an erring brother or sister, but there is a proper way to do it. Often we begin by keeping it to ourselves — maybe because we are ashamed or unable to talk about it with anyone. So we pretend everything is normal. And we brood over the injury … if it is to us. This tends to magnify it: We become mean to others, and we get depressed and plan revenge. If we bring this to others, usually the very last person to hear about the hurt is the person causing it. The right approach: Go to the person. Instead of an aggressive approach like “you did this … I hate you,” an assertive one is much more healing: “When you did this, this is how I felt.” This shows that I’m not about getting even. I have concern for the other and myself, not just my wounded pride. Maybe we can discover how I might have been partly to blame. If they refuse, we should seek advice coupled with praying for the person … and, if need be, the person God has chosen to help the person see God’s love. Our prayers help us to realize that God is love … and loves all. Can I find love in another?

So I reflect on:

• It’s good to reflect on the magi, wise men from the East who came to worship Jesus with extravagant gifts. They were not Jews … but believers in other religions. Reflecting on the first gifts Jesus received, do I think about how to be in relationships with people outside my faith community?
• There is a great need in my world for reconciliation and restoration so that I can truly live as the body of Christ.  What am I doing?  What help do I need.  The media for one is dividing,  I am called to love.  What do I ask of the Holy Spirit?

Sacred Space 2023 states:

“Because Jesus shares His own spirit with us, the connection between the community of believers and Jesus is very close: What we bind or loose here is bound or loosed in heaven, and whatever we ask in union will be given to us by the Father. I ask for this insight and for a stronger faith in the presence of Jesus in the midst of the Church.”