Homily For The 23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A.

Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95:1-2.6-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20.

“COMMUNAL HARMONY AND FRATERNAL CORRECTION!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·       The church is a community of the sons and daughters of God. Like any other community, there are ups and downs, and at times, the possibility of misunderstandings and rifts. Today, the readings provide a step-by-step guide to resolving conflicts and keeping the community at peace and in harmony.

·       There is a Russian proverb that states that it is “better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.” Another unknown author says that “pretty words aren’t always true and true words aren’t always pretty.” These two sayings are like a warning to all who want to hear what they want to hear.

·       We live in an era where those who tell us the hard truth are considered our enemies; they are jealous of our success and achievements. While those who tell us lies, deceive us, massage our ego, and tell us what we want to hear are our friends, supporters, and close allies.

·       In this same era, it is difficult to truly know when commendation is real because there are a lot of sycophants and praise singers around. Politicians do not want to be challenged to do the right thing and better the lives of people. Their advisers have become their adversaries instead. They tell them only the good things and encourage them that they are doing well even when they are not. Those who challenge them with the facts of truth are termed “enemies of progress.”

·       In the family too, parents most of the time are happy when their children tell them nice things and avoid their inadequacies. No one dares to challenge their authority. Priests too are not left out; those who tell them, “Father, you are the best priest we have ever had in a long time”, are their friends. They even sometimes go as far as to employ them as spies to tell us about those who do not like us or support our style of leadership. Those who honestly seek the good of all and the growth of the parish are relegated to the background, and their voices are suppressed.

·       In today’s readings, Jesus challenges us to open ourselves to mutual and fraternal correction because that is the only way we can experience genuine Christian growth and communal living.

·       Many of us have built a huge wall of defence around us, making ourselves unapproachable. We are self-seeking and self-sufficient; hence, we do not need any correction or guidance from people. We must realise that this voice of fraternal correction can come from anywhere or anyone as long as it is urging us to do the right thing. It could be the voice of a younger or older person, the voice of a boss or a subordinate, etc.

·       In the first reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9), the Lord appointed the Prophet Ezekiel as a sentry over the house of Israel to keep her in check lest they stray and wallow in sin. The role of Ezekiel is to always try to bring back straying sinners to the right path; otherwise, he will take responsibility for the damnation of that soul and warn them when they deviate.

·       We too, dearly beloved in Christ, have also been appointed as gadflies of good virtues wherever we find ourselves, whether in our individual families or place of work or school. We must ensure that we are disciplined in our way of life and, in turn, discipline others to turn from sinful ways and live a befitting Christian life.

·       This is not an easy task, but we must realise that if we allow our indifference to lead someone to sin, we have a share in that person’s punishment. We may say that if we correct that person and the person refuses to heed, we must go on speaking out so that it will be on record that we tried to bring the person back to the right path.

·       For some of us, we may say to ourselves that we do not know the sins to warn or discourage people from committing. The second reading (Romans 13:8-10) today lists the common sins that are tearing our society apart, namely “you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet” (Rom. 13:9). These sins are committed because we do not have the love of God and neighbour in our hearts. If you truly love God and your neighbour, you would rather hurt him with the truth than comfort him with lies.

·       The gospel reading (Matthew 18:15-20) gives us another dimension to fraternal correction, especially when we run into trouble trying to be vanguards of good living to each other. The gospel reading gives us steps to follow to resolve our conflicts and misunderstandings to keep the Christian fold peaceful and united.

·       Dear friends in Christ, the only way we can grow and expand the kingdom of God here on earth is that we learn to have each other’s back and to defend each other through thick and thin. Crisis will erupt, but we must follow the steps laid down for us to manage our misunderstandings. We must learn to be patient with each other, tolerate each other, love each other, and correct others in love.

·       As we come together to feed on the Lord’s table, he has appointed us all as messengers into the world to speak out against evil and injustice in the world and to try to accept corrections from others and correct others. The Psalmist finds this urgent and imperative, and that is why we are warned that “O that today you listen to his voice, harden not your heart” (Ps. 95:7-8).

·       May the Lord give us the grace to see ourselves as companions on the journey to salvation, that we may learn to support each other and correct each other in peace and love through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·        Happy Sunday!!!