TWENTY THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR A 23

23rd SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2023: EZEKIEL 33. 7-9; ROMANS 13. 8-10; MATTHEW 18. 15-20 Punch line: Charity in fraternal responsibility! Guideline: Love is the driving norm for every disciple of Christ and this must show itself in a spirit of fraternal responsibility 1. The central theme of today’s Word of God is Fraternity. The breath and the motivating force for fraternity is Love. Such a fraternal love shows itself in a deep sense of fraternal responsibility, correction, forbearance and prayer. 2.  As brothers and sisters bound together in the fraternal bond of love, we have a mutual responsibility. In the words of God to prophet Ezekiel in the first reading, this is to assume responsibility for the other as a watchman. 3. A watchman keeps watch over the house owner, the house and his family, and makes sure of the safety and the wellbeing of them. So also each of us ought to be a watchman who takes care of all that is entrusted to him. 4. It is part of the watchman’s duty to warn, to caution, to admonish the concerned people. In the same way, the good and the growth of the other is an obligation and not an option. No one can shirk this responsibility toward the other under no pretext or excuse. Especially toward those in the wrong, there is a greater and added responsibility. 5. Presuming and Declaring that there is no use to correct or exhort them because in any case, they will not listen, or they will not change, if one ceases to give them the needed guidance or direction, he will be held responsible and will be taken to task by God, and the one in wrong will be spared. But if he does his duty of admonishing and directing, irrespective of the response of the recipients, then, the receivers will be accountable and culpable. 6. Therefore, love and fraternity demand that we should deeply feel responsible toward the erring ones. The purpose is not to judge or condemn them or make them feel guilty or expose their wrong. The sole purpose is to make them aware of their wrongdoing and to win them back. Admonition and correction are integral to fraternal love and one who fails in them, fails in his fundamental duty of fraternity and love. 7. Certainly, many feel uneasy and shy away from admonition and correction. Perhaps, they do not want to displease others, or do not want to hurt them, or do not want to lose favours, or do not want to strain the relationships. Obviously, to correct the erring is not a pleasant task and it is a very delicate matter because normally no one likes to be shown wrong and to be corrected. It hurts the ego, it touches upon self-esteem. 8. But true love and fraternity obligate us to do all that is possible to gain back the erring ones. It needs tremendous patience, forbearance and courage to confront the person in all charity, to persuade him first personally, then with the help of a couple of others, and finally with the positive coercion of the community of the church. It also summons us to pray together because it is a collective energy. 9. Despite all these sustained and concerted efforts, still if the erring person is not willing to mend his ways, then leave him to his own personal accountability, with no tag of judgment and slander. 10.  This message of today can be a great and fitting lesson for our times, which fail so much in this spirit of fraternal responsibility. Either there is a deep-leveled indifference and unconcern toward others, or there is a false fear not to displease others. 11. Consequently, positive confrontation, correction, direction become very rare and unpleasant. When they are done also, they are not always motivated by fraternity and charity. The result is wide spread of the wrong, a casual and callous approach toward the wrong, a passive allowance of the wrong to have a negative influence on all others. 12. This is what happens in the case of the parents toward their children, in the case of the directors or animators toward those in their care, in the case of the superiors toward their members, in the case of the teachers toward their students. 13. If only there grows a little more sense of fraternal responsibility, driven by love, and strengthened by solidarity in prayer, sustained by persistent and persuasive efforts, certainly our parishes, our communities, our families, our working places, our relationships can become much better. Lifeline: Charity demands that we are patient and forbearing to win back the erring person through deep concern, gentle persuasion, positive confrontation, constructive correction, flexible acceptance and solidary prayer