04/09/2011 - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Season - Year A
1Reading Ez 33,7-9 Psalm 94 2Reading Rom 13,8-10 Vangelo Mt 18,15-20
Jesus knows that we are sinner, and he is not surprised. He suggests to us, in
case we become aware of our brother's sin, how we are to remain in love and in the
truth. The first thing to do, if there is sin around, we are not to close one eye,
as if it's nothing. Every sin carries it's bad consequences of pain and disorder
that generates more evil and more sins. Every sin is to be uprooted. The sinner,
on the other hand, is to be loved and helped to realise that he is becoming a source
of sorrow and suffering for others or for society. If rightly helped, that sinner
can change his attitude, correct himself, and become a blessing to his brethren.
If, on the other side, the one who is aware of evil remain silent, can even become
a part of, because the one who sins can see the silence of the one around him as
an approval. The prophet Ezikiel gives a clear teaching in this direction.
Jesus, no doubt, wants to help us as how to correct our brother, this with love,
with all the possible of love. Because of this he teaches us to be delicate and
to go slowly slowly. First of all one needs to speak within closed doors, not to
spread the mistake and the guilt of the brother: this one can remain hurted and
ruined by such indiscreation. Only in the case when one would not want to accept
the warning, that one is to reveal the issue to some one else so as to help him
be aware of this guilt: perhaps a third person knows how to use convincing words,
or is more humble in his intervention. Even if this move would go empty, therefore
one needs to reveal it to the whole comunity, which is to move in with full authority.
In care the brother is over taken by pride and refuses to warning of the whole assembly,
therefore he is to be kept by all as a stranger and kept away from meetings and
celebrations. One is to be delicate, but strong and ferm. We have learnt, even though
not always, the pleasantness, out of fear to violate the private life of the christians.
We learnt less how to be strong and ferm, with the risk that, not only sinful behavior,
but also a mentality that ignores the truth of the faith, was more diffused.
The teaching of Jesus continues by trusting his disciples the authority to tie and
to loose. Whatever they do, is important before God himself: their decisions will
be made his. "Shall be tied in heaven...shall be loosed in heaven", says
the Lord. How are the disciples to be listening the inspiration of the Spirit of
love of the Father! And how are the faithful to be obedient and open to their pastors!
In the Church there should be comunion and obedience, as to experience the love
and the omnipotence of God. Jesus in fact assures that the Father is to reward those
who adher in the name of Jesus, that is in his love.
The conclusion of the text we listen too is a source of consolation and security:
"Where two or three gather in my name, Im in he mids of them". Jesus love
us and enjoys to be with us and even amongst us; when we meet to give him our obediece
and love him, here is he, he himself makes himself present. Where he is present
he can do his wonders. Do we want to see them? Let us see that we are united for
his love, for his sake, to realise together some few questions. He will act, he
will listen, he will surprise us!
Today even saint Paul help us to look at our behvior always with the motor of love: love continues, it never ends. Love brings together in itself all the comandments. Who obeys them excercises a true love. Love keep us away from sin and brings us to ask for forgiveness and accept the eventual corrections of the bothers. Love helps us to look at our brothers with attention and to welcome them in our mercy and that of the Father!