Jesus taught us how to work with sinners--them and you: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

While these were not spoken from Jesus, he gave a great instruction from his teaching in both his present times to our present today:

·      "If your brother [and/or your sister] sins against you…”

o   Gossip (through all history and today through the internet), libel, slander, lies or even bullying, violence, judgment, etc.

·      “…go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”

o   Can you imagine how much unity and peace that would continue to grow our families, our parishes and our community if we actually speak face to face to another person?

o   Pray for strength and discernment to have the guts to speak…especially against stuff on the internet

o   One caveat: I am focusing today on things like gossip or “normal” sins from one to another

§  Really bad stuff—violence or abuse you must call leaders like our police!

·      “If he listens to you, you have won over your brother [or sister].”

o   This is where courage melts hearts and opens doors for forgiveness

o   As a child…

·      “If he does not listen, take one or two others along [family members, trusted ones, leaders, friends] with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'”

o   Know the facts!

o   Offer conversations and compassion with a group

o   Speak to a person, not through a machine or unreality

o   If this works, “…you have won over your brother or sister”

·      “If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.”

o   Jesus was speaking about the disciples, the parish, the deacons, the priests, the bishops

o   Again, remember the caveat of violence

·      “If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.”

o   Lets be honest…we have Catholics and Christians who use the name while they might not actually following Jesus Christ

o   This is what Jesus Christ said

o   And it is clear: Jesus did not say to judge, but to treat them like a Gentile or a tax collector—aka stay away from their presence

o   We do not have to like others, but we must love

St. Paul wrote:

·      “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

Love is beyond emotions or passions

·      Love is give the good to the other person

In our Catholic family…can we each do this?

·      Can we hone in our use of speaking about others behind their back?

·      Can we clean up our coward typing or texting?

·      Can we follow in a deeper, challenging and changing to follow what Jesus Christ taught us?

Watch how much joyful, peaceful and relationships will grow fruit