Welcome to our Bible Study

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A7 September 2014

In preparation for this Sunday’s LiturgyIn aid of focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9

• 7 You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. 8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

The focus is on responsibility to others.

1st reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9

Being a watchman• 7 You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the

house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.

Being responsible• 8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you

do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.

• 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

A simple outline!

1st reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9

Being a watchman• 7 You, son of man, I have

appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.

Being responsible• 8 If I tell the wicked man

that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.

• 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

Commentary• In v.7, “the son of man” may be the

prophet, or, someone else.• God speaks to the “son of man.”• God appoints him as a watchman, to take

care of the Israelites.• The son of man will communicate to them

whatever he hears from God.• In v.8, God holds responsible to the “son

of man” those who do nothing for the good of his neighbor.

• As the sinner dies for his sins and guilt, so does she or he who has not done anything to dissuade him from sinning.

• In v.9, God assures “the son of man”, who takes pain to remind the wicked to stop sinning, that he will not die.

• His effort will spare him from death.• We can be “the son of man.”

Reflections on the 1st reading

• It is true that everybody should be responsible for his/her own actions.

• God punishes us according to our actions.• But the reading carries a special message for us. It is a

warning for us, who do not care about our sister or brother even if we see her or him doing wrong.

• We, people of God, must feel responsible for our erring sisters and brothers.

• We cannot condone anyone committing a crime or even an ordinary sin.

• If we do not do anything to remind, or correct, the sinner or the wicked and then he dies (or is punished), we will undergo the same fate.

Resp. Ps 95:1-2. 6-7. 8-9• R. (8)If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

• 6 Come, let us bow down in worship;let us kneel before the LORD who made us.7 For he is our God,and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

• Oh, that today you would hear his voice:8 "Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,as in the day of Massah in the desert,9 Where your fathers tempted me;they tested me though they had seen my works."

Resp. Ps 95:1-2. 6-7. 8-9• R. (8)If today you hear his voice,

harden not your hearts.1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

• 6 Come, let us bow down in worship;let us kneel before the LORD who made us.7 For he is our God,and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

• Oh, that today you would hear his voice:8 "Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,as in the day of Massah in the desert,9 Where your fathers tempted me;they tested me though they had seen my works."

Commentary•Vv.1,2 and 6 invite us to pay homage to God.•We do this by:

– Singing joyfully, v.1– Acclaiming him, v.1– Coming into his presence, v.2– Singing psalms, v.2– Bowing down, kneeling down, v.6

•V.7 gives the reason why we worship God:

– He is our God– We are his people.

•Vv.8-9 exhort us to listen to God, not to imitate the Israelites in the desert, who hardened their hearts.

Reflections on the Psalm

• Our lives must be spent in worship to God.• We are not living for ourselves but for God.• Our worship is to be done communally.• To worship God we must have good relationship

with God and with the community.• What a waste of life when it is spent without

acknowledging God and without a community!

2nd reading: Romans 13:8-10• 8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one

another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

The focus is on love of neighbor.

2nd reading: Romans 13:8-10

Love fulfills the law• 8 Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for

the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments to love• 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;

you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Love fulfills the law• 10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the

fulfillment of the law.

A simple outline!

2nd reading: Romans 13:8-10Love fulfills the law• 8 Owe nothing to anyone,

except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

The commandments to love• 9 The commandments, "You

shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely) "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Love fulfills the law• 10 Love does no evil to the

neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Commentary• In v.8, St. Paul gives importance to

loving one another. Loving one another fulfills the law.

• Christians should realize that they have a primary obligation to love.

• Love here is not emotionalism. “I love when I feel like loving.”

• V.9 spells out concrete proposals on how to love others.– No adultery (no illicit relationships)– No killing (no shedding blood)– No stealing / coveting (no depriving

of other people’s rights)• After all these avoidances, we have

a positive commandment:– “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

• V.10 repeats v.8, only in another formulation.– Love fulfills the law.

Reflections on the 2nd reading

• We, Christians, are indebted to one another.• We owe nothing more than loving one another.• Love is the name of the game.• In love, we keep the commandments.• In love, we do no harm to anyone.• Whether we like it or not, we should love.• It is a Christian imperative.• Don’t you feel obliged to love?

Gospel reading: Matthew 18:15-20• 15 "If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his

fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

• 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

• 19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

The focus is on fraternal correction.

Gospel reading: Matthew 18:15-20

Fraternal correction• 15 "If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault

between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Binding and loosing• 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound

in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Praying together• 19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about

anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

A simple outline!

Gospel reading: Matthew 18:15-20Fraternal correction• 15 "If your brother sins (against you), go

and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Binding and loosing• 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind

on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Praying together• 19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of

you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Commentary• Vv.15-17 is about fraternal

correction.• Fraternal correction is

taken step by step: – Step 1: you and your

erring sister or brother in private

– Step 2: you, your companion and your erring sister or brother

– Step 3: you and the community.

• The sinner can be cast out of the community if he/she does not listen to the majority.

• In v.18, those responsible in the church have the power and authority to accept or reject members.

Gospel reading: Matthew 18:15-20Fraternal correction• 15 "If your brother sins (against you), go

and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Binding and loosing• 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind

on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Praying together• 19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of

you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

• Vv.19-20 teach the importance of praying together.

• God grants the petition of people praying together, praying in a community.

• God is present in a praying community.

Reflections on the gospel reading

• Part of Christian commitment is to fraternally correct our erring brothers and sisters.

• In our communities, we don’t tolerate evil deeds and behaviors unbecoming of a Christian.

• No one is licensed or at liberty to harm anyone in our communities.

• We are also authorized to weed out members, who keep inflicting damage to our community, after due process.

• Without obedience to the rules of charity, we cannot pray together and build our community.

Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm

• The first reading talks about responsibility to our erring brothers and sisters.

• The psalm encourages us to worship God and to avoid the mistakes of the Israelites in the desert.

• The second reading talks about loving one another. Responsible Christians should take care not to err.

• The gospel reading talks about how to correct our erring brothers and sisters.

The focus of our homilies or sharing should be on fraternal correction.

How to develop your homily / sharing

• How do you correct your erring sister or brother?• Do you put him/her to shame in public?• Do you punish him/her right away?

• The 3 readings teach us how to correct our erring sisters and brothers.

• The first reading obliges us to warn those whose deeds are wicked.

• God punishes people for their wicked deeds.• We, too, can be punished like them, if we don’t correct

them.• We are responsible for them. We are our brothers’ and

sisters’ keepers.

• The gospel reading instructs us how to correct our erring brothers and sisters.

• First of all, we must be fraternal. Correction should be done with respect and love.

• Second, we must observe due process.• Third, we are only authorized to drive the sinner away if

there is no hope of changing her or him.• We are also obliged to protect our communities from

people who create scandals and inflict undue sufferings to the innocent members.

• The second reading talks about love.• In the first place, Christians should be people of

love.• If we have love, we do not harm any of our

sisters and brothers.• If we love, we do not need to be corrected by the

other members of the community.

• In our churches, we always find some unruly ministers or troublemakers.– They disturb the smooth flow of our liturgy and other

activities.– They talk ill against their priests and their fellow

ministers. – They create scandal.– These are the people who don’t have love at all.

• Those who have love must exercise patience in correcting them.

• Christians must take courage to correct erring brothers and sisters.

• They should also correct erring church or public officials.• These officials err when they are negligent of their duties,

or when they are oppressive, or when they take advantage of their positions.

• Christians must be prophetic to them, i.e., must speak out loud and work hard to remove them if they don’t change.

• The eucharist is the reward of those who take responsibility for their erring sisters and brothers.

• Fraternal corrections lead people to a more meaningful celebration of the eucharist.

• The eucharist is for those who know how to deal with the wayward members of the family and community.

Our Context of Sin and Grace

• Washing of hands• Abrupt decisions• No concern• Indifferent• Consentidor• Afraid to speak out• Afraid to correct the wrong• Lack of prophetism

• Constructive criticism• Fraternal correction• Treating others with

delicadeza• Due process• Warnings• Prayer groups• Loving persons• Art of correcting• Psychological help• Special intervention

Suggested Songs

• Pananagutan• Service• Buhay Maging Maligaya

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh0VyqcYK3I