September 10th 2023.
The Twenty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time
GOSPEL: Matthew 16, 21-27
Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini broadcast on Vatican Radio
Don Fabio’s homily follows the Gospel
GOSPEL: Matthew 16, 21-27
‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you:
the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge.
‘But if he refuses to listen to these,
report it to the community;
and if he refuses to listen to the community,
treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
1. The first reading emphasizes that if we fail to correct our brother, we are complicit in his error.
The liturgy of the Word prepares us for the Gospel by drawing a connection to the first reading from the Book of Ezekiel, which focuses on the responsibility of the Prophet to convey the truth. In this context, if the Prophet fails to speak the truth, he becomes complicit in his brother's error. This message is further reinforced by the theme of truth and mutual love found in the thirteenth chapter of the Letter to the Romans.
2. This Gospel emphasizes that we are called to relationships of love, which involves not allowing our relationships to be toxic
Our primary concern should be to avoid toxic relationships and instead embrace genuine love. This love represents the complete fulfilment of our calling and the embodiment of the law. Our calling is to love our neighbour as ourselves, and it's essential to grasp the meaning behind this directive. Contrary to a modern misconception that emphasizes self-love first, the syntax of this command suggests that "as" isn't a comparative measure; rather, it signifies a qualitative one. Loving others as we love ourselves implies that our love for ourselves should naturally extend to others. You cannot truly love yourself without loving others.
3. Treating our unrepentant brother as if he were a tax-collector does not mean excluding him. Rather, it means that we love him anyway despite his faults.
Moving on to the Gospel, it addresses the concept of fraternal correction. It's vital to understand this term correctly. Fraternal correction refers to the process of addressing a brother's wrongdoing. Initially, this should be done privately, in solitude. If the individual doesn't heed the advice, one or two others should be involved in the discussion. If there's still no resolution, then the community as a whole should be brought into the picture. And if even the community's efforts fail, we should love the person as Christ loved publicans and tax collectors, accepting them as they are. We must be careful here how we interpret this text. Sometimes, Jesus’ admonition to treat an unrepentant brother as if he were a “publican or tax-collector” is interpreted to mean that we excommunicate this brother, exclude him from the community. In other parts of the New Testament, such as in St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, there are passages about excommunication (which are ultimately directed towards prompting repentance), but in Matthew’s Gospel, this reference to the tax-collector and publican is all about treating a person with love. It means embracing individuals regardless of their faults.
4. The true calling of the Christian is not to foster personal perfectionism but unity and communion among ourselves, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel also highlights our authority over heavenly matters, as expressed by the statement, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This signifies the power of binding ourselves in the bonds of brotherhood through baptism within the Church. These bonds transcend death, and whatever we bind or forgive on Earth reflects true freedom that endures in heaven. Ultimately, the Gospel teaches us that when two individuals on earth agree in their prayers, it has a profound impact. It's not about asking for anything and everything, but about the power of prayer rooted in communion, love, and unity among brothers. As Christians, our true calling is not to pursue personal perfectionism but to foster communion and unity among ourselves. In the words of the Gospel of John, "That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Anything that aligns with communion aligns with the Kingdom of Heaven, while anything that distances us from communion is foreign to the work of Christ within us. The Holy Spirit represents communion, and we are called to live in communion. This, in essence, is the core of our baptismal calling.
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