Theme of the Sunday: How to Correct a Person. We should all think only about ourselves. Is this correct? No, because, as all the readings today tell us, we are responsible for each other. The first reading explains the idea with the story of the sentry who is expected to blow his horn when he sees danger. The gospel suggests how to correct one who has strayed from the way. The second reading complements this theme because it presents love for the other person as the rule that must guide all our actions.
Entrance Antiphon Ps118:137.124
You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is right; treat your servant in accord with your merciful love.
Collect
O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. Through our Lord..
FIRST READING
“If you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, his blood I will require at your hand.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel33:7-9)
Thus says the Lord: “You, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm95: I-2.6-7abc.7d-9 (R. 7d, 8a)
R/. O that today you would listen to his voice!
Harden not your hearts.
Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;
let us hail him with a song of praise. R.
O come; let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us,
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. R.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your forebears put me to the test;
When they tried me, though they saw my work.” R.
SECOND READING
“Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans l3:8-10)
Brethren: Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA 2 Corinthians5:19
Alleluia. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew18:15-20)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the Church; and if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, 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. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by the father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Today’s Reflection
When people offend us our response becomes a matter of concern for Christ. Very often, these are the possible responses when someone offends us: acting childish, sulking brooding, pondering retaliation, withdrawing response, avoiding the offender, self-justification and taking revenge. In the gospel of today, the Lord teaches us a new path to follow: we must take the first step at reconciliation, we must approach him alone to let him know how he has offended us, we must commit the matter to prayer and we must make every effort at winning our brother back. Who has offended you that you refuse to forgive or reconcile with? The Lord bids you to rise and win your brother to the Lord.