Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
/ Msgr. Owen F. Campion
The Sunday Readings
For the first reading this weekend, the Church gives us a passage from the ancient Book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel’s name in Hebrew in effect was a prayer, “May God make [him] strong.” It was fitting since—as the prophet himself said and indeed said in complaint—his calling to be a prophet put him at odds with so many people.
For God’s people, times were hard. The Babylonian Empire, at the time one of the Middle East’s most powerful states, had destroyed much and had killed many. In the process, they took many survivors of the invasion back to Babylon. In Babylon, these exiles or their descendants would languish for four generations.
Ezekiel saw this disaster not as a direct punishment from God—pressed down upon the people in a fury of revenge for their sinfulness—but as the result of the people’s sin.
Although the prophet was harsh in this respect, he also consoled the people that a better day would come if they returned to God. If they obeyed God, then God would protect them.
No matter the people’s disobedience, Ezekiel wrote, God would never forsake them and never desert them in the face of peril.
St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is the source of the second reading.
It continues the pattern for these weekends of the summer, so many of which have presented readings from Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
A highly educated, sophisticated and wealthy Jew, fully versed in the teachings of Judaism, Paul knew the Ten Commandments well. While he saw a special vocation in his outreach to gentiles, he knew that God had revealed through Hebrew agents in the past. The Commandments were from God and given to Moses.
Paul set the Commandments in context. People should obey God because they love God. People should treat others well, according to the Commandments, because they love others. This urging echoed the teaching of Jesus.
For its last reading, the Church this weekend offers a passage from the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus told the disciples to admonish anyone among them who somehow is at fault.
The Lord gives a progression of steps. First, a Christian should call a wayward brother or sister to task. If they fail in this step, the Christian should seek the aid of others in calling the wayward person to task. Finally, if this step also fails, the disciple should go to the Church. If the wayward will not reform, the Church should dismiss the wayward.
The reading reminds us of the teachings of the Church regarding how to read the Gospels. We should remember that the Gospels were not written at the time of Jesus, but rather years later. By the time Matthew was written, the Church had formed.
Being a follower of Jesus is a serious matter. The Church has the right to judge a member’s behavior, and even a member’s sincerity. Christ is in the assembly of disciples. The Church is not simply a convenient, occasional gathering of people of like minds.
Reflection
For weeks, we have heard advice about being good disciples. We hear advice again this weekend about discipleship.
Ezekiel gives us a clear message. All humans are inclined to sin. Bad results follow, and we obviously do not like these bad results. Searching for excuses, we blame others or something else, saying that actually we are helpless in the face of temptation or we did not understand the seriousness of our sin.
We are responsible for what we do. We are weak. We are myopic. We are afraid. Even so, if we ask, God will strengthen us.
God speaks and acts through the Church, and the Church acts with God’s authority. It guides us, and it warns us. Frank and straightforward, it reminds us that we must love God above all else. †