Aug 29, 2014
Ezekiel 33:7-9
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20
As Ezekiel is appointed watchman over the house of Israel in
today's first Reading, so Jesus in the Gospel today establishes His
disciples as guardians of the new Israel of God, the Church (see
Galatians
6:16).
He also puts in place procedures for dealing with sin and breaches
of the faith, building on s of discipline prescribed by Moses for
Israel (see Leviticus
19:17-20; Deuteronomy
19:13). The heads of the new Israel, however, receive
extraordinary powers - similar to those given to Peter (see
Matthew
16:19). They have the power to bind and loose, to forgive sins
and to reconcile sinners in His name (see John
20:21-23).
But the powers He gives the apostles and their successors depends
on their communion with Him. As Ezekiel is only to teach what he
hears God saying, the disciples are to gather in His name and to
pray and seek the will of our heavenly Father.
But today's readings are more than a lesson in Church order. They
also suggest how we're to deal with those who trespass against us,
a theme that we'll hear in next week's readings as well.
Notice that both the Gospel and the First Reading presume that
believers have a duty to correct sinners in our midst. Ezekiel is
even told that he will be held accountable for their souls if he
fails to speak out and try to correct them.
This is the love that Paul in today's Epistle says we owe to our
neighbors. To love our neighbors as ourselves is to be vitally
concerned for their salvation. We must make every effort, as Jesus
says, to win our brothers and sisters back, to turn them from the
false paths.
We should never correct out of anger, or a desire to punish.
Instead our message must be that of today's Psalm - urging sinner
to hear God's voice, not to harden their hearts, and to remember
that He is the one who made us, and the rock of our
salvation.