For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

KEYWORDS: catholic; mt18; ordinarytime; prayer;

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From: Ezekiel 33:7-9

Ezekiel, the people’s watchman

[7] ”So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; when-
ever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. [8]
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. [9] 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.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

33:1-9. In this new account of his calling, Ezekiel uses the watchman metaphor
to explain his role as a prophet. ln chapter 3 (3:16-21) his duty to counsel his
hearers was stressed; now he develops the metaphor of the watchman in a time
of war (vv. 2-6), underlining that it is a heavy and far-reaching responsibility. In
this new stage it is only the wicked that the prophet will have to admonish (vv.
7-9); seemingly, the just, who, along with the impious, received a warning in the
oracle of chapter 3 and who are not mentioned here, will never again stray from
their path.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Romans 13:8-10

Love, the Fulfilling of the Law

[8] Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for who loves his neighbor
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 any other com-
mandment, are summed up in this sentence, “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

8-10. To enable him to keep the Commandments of God perfectly, man receives
the interior influence of love of God and love of neighbor. For when love motivates
us we readily give what is due—and more besides—to him whom we love. In his
public preaching St John of Avila used to say—”Those of you who are unlettered
should not think that this means you cannot enter paradise, study these two
commandments, and when you have fulfilled them, realize that you have done
everything laid down in the Law and the Prophets, and everything taught by the
Gospel and by the Apostles and whatever you are admonished to do by all the
countless books that have been written, for the Lord has send his word to us in
(this) manifold form (cf. Rom 9:28)” (”Sermons”, Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost).

The relationship between the virtues of charity and justice is similar to that be-
tween love and the commandments of the Law. “Be convinced that justice alone
is never enough to solve the great problems of mankind [...]. Charity must pene-
trate and accompany justice because it sweetens and deifies everything: ‘God
is love’ (1 Jn 4:16). Our motive in everything we do should be the Love of God,
which makes it easier for us to love our neighbor and which purifies and raises
all earthly loves on to a higher level [...]. Charity, which is like a generous over-
flowing of justice, demands first of all the fulfillment of one’s duty. The way to
start is to be just; the next step is to do what is most equitable...; but in order
to love, great refinement is required, and much thoughtfulness, and respect,
and kindliness” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 172-3).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 18:15-20

Fraternal Correction. The Apostles’ Authority

(Jesus said to His disciples), [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 gained
your brother. [16] 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 witnes-
ses. [17] 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.
[18] 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. [19] Again I say to
you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it shall be done for
them by My Father in Heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered in My
name, there am I in the midst of them.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15-17. Here our Lord calls on us to work with Him for the sanctification of others
by means of fraternal correction, which is one of the ways we can do so. He
speaks as sternly about the sin of omission as He did about that of scandal (cf.
Chrysostom, “Hom. on St. Matthew”, 61).

There is an obligation on us to correct others. Our Lord identifies three stages
in correction: 1) alone; 2) in the presence of one or two witnesses; and 3) before
the Church. The first stage refers to giving scandal and to secret or private sins;
here correction should be given privately, just to the person himself, to avoid un-
necessarily publicizing a private matter and also to avoid hurting the person and
to make it easier for him to mend his ways. If this correction does not have the
desired effect, and the matter is a serious one, resort should be had to the se-
cond stage—looking for one or two friends, in case they have more influence on
him. The last stage is formal judicial correction by reference to the Church au-
thorities. If a sinner does not accept this correction, he should be excommuni-
cated; that is, separated from communion with the Church and Sacraments.

18. This verse needs to be understood in connection with the authority previous-
ly promised to Peter (cf. Matthew 16:13-19): it is the hierarchy of the Church
that exercises this power given by Christ to Peter, to the Apostles and their
lawful successors — the Pope and the Bishops.

19-20. “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est: where charity and love resides, there
God is”, the Holy Thursday liturgy intones, drawing its inspiration from the sa-
cred text of 1 John 4:12. For it is true that love is inconceivable if there is only
one person: it implies the presence of two or more (cf. Aquinas, “Commentary
on St. Matthew”, 18:19-20). And so it is that when Christians meet together in
the name of Christ for the purpose of prayer, our Lord is present among them,
pleased to listen to the unanimous prayer of His disciples: “All those with one
accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the
mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:14). This is why the Church from the very beginning
has practiced communal prayer (cf. Acts 12:5). There are religious practices—
few, short, daily “that have always been lived in Christian families and which I
think are marvelous—grace at meals, morning and night prayers, the family ro-
sary (even though nowadays this devotion to our Lady has been criticized by
some people). Customs vary from place to place, but I think one should always
encourage some acts of piety which the family can do together in a simple and
natural fashion” (St. J. Escriva, “Conversations”, 103).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading	Ezekiel 33:7-9 ©

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man: Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9 ©

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;

hail the rock who saves us.

Let us come before him, giving thanks,

with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; 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.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

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 fathers put me to the test;

when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Second reading	Romans 13:8-10 ©

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.

Gospel Acclamation	Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

Or	2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘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.’

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Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

September, 2017

Pope's Prayer Intention

Parishes, That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), founder of the Missionary Sisters of Charity
No Greater Love

"Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" : the sacrament of reconciliation

The other day, a man, a journalist, asked me a strange question. He asked me, "Even you, do you have to go to confession?" I said, "Yes, I go to confession every week." And he said, "Then God must be very demanding if you have to go to confession."

And I said, "Your own child sometimes does something wrong. What happens when your child comes to you and says, 'Daddy, I'm sorry'? What do you do? You put both of your arms around your child and kiss him. Why? Because that's your way of telling him that you love him. God does the same thing. He loves you tenderly." Even when we sin or make a mistake, let's allow that to help us grow closer to God. Let's tell Him humbly, "I know I shouldn't have done this, but even this failure I offer to you."

If we have sinned or made a mistake, let us go to Him and say, ''I'm sorry! I repent." God is a forgiving Father. His mercy is greater than our sins. He will forgive us.

Zenit.org

Archbishop Follo: To correct in love and to pray in concord

XXIII Sunday of Ordinary Time – September 10, 2017

September 9, 2017Francesco FolloSunday Readings

Prayer - church of Santi Apostoli at Rome

ZENIT - HSM

Roman Rite

XXIII Sunday of Ordinary Time – September 10, 2017

Ez 33, 1.7-9; Ps 95; Rm 13.8-10; Mt 18: 15-20

Ambrosian Rite

Is 60, 16b-22; Ps 89; 1 Cor 15: 17-28; Jh 5: 19-24

Second Sunday after the martyrdom of St. John the Precursor.

1) To correct pardoning.

In today‘s Gospel Christ gives us two teachings about the life of the Church as the community of brothers because children in the Son of God.

The first teaching concerns fraternal correction and tells how to proceed in case of conflict between the members of the community (Mt 18: 15-18). The gospel speaks about the life of the Christian community and teaches us that fraternal love also entails a sense of reciprocal responsibility. If a brother commits a sin against us, we must use charity towards him, talking to him to let him understand the mistake he has made. This way of acting is called fraternal correction. It must not be a reaction to the received offense, but it must be moved by the love for the brother, as St. Augustine very well says “He who has offended in offending you has done a serious injury to himself. Don’t you care for the wound of your brother? … You must forget the offense you received, not your brother’s wound “(Sermons 82, 7).

The second teaching concerns the “omnipotence of intercession” (omnipotentia supplex) of a prayer made by the community, though very small, “because where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am”(Mt 18: 19-20). Therefore, the Lord is present in the liturgical assembly that prays and praises, in the sacraments that communicate his life, and in his Word. “It is he who speaks when the Sacred Scripture is read in the Church “(Conc. Vat. II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7). Undoubtedly personal prayer is indispensable, but the Lord assures his presence to the community that is united and in agreement because it reflects the very reality of God One and Triune, perfect communion of love.

The first teaching that Christ offers us today is about the duty of charity of correction.

In a sermon during the Mass in the church of Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis has said “Whoever judges a brother is wrong and will end up being judged in the same way. God is the only one judge and those who are judged will always count on the defense by Jesus, the first defender, and on the Holy Spirit … If we want walk on the same path of Jesus we, rather than accusers, must be defenders of others in front of the Father and talk to them with charity. “In saying so the Holy Father has also expressed today’s exhortation of St. Paul” Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;  for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law…. Love does no evil to the neighbor;  hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. “(Rm 13, 8-10). Based on the teaching of Christ, Pope

Francis teaches that correction is the expression of humble and gentle love so that the brother may not be victim of evil and know the joy of good.

Fraternal correction is a pure fruit of love, perhaps its most difficult incarnation, because to correct it is necessary to love the other to the point of wanting to carry with him the weight of his sins. In fact, “correcting” means “holding together” in order to walk together on the right path.

For correction to be fraternal it must be based on the unanimous prayer of the brothers. When the community prayer is unanimous, Christ is present and brings the mercy of the Father to the congregation of the Church.

When in prayer we live the relationship with the “sinning brothers” and we love them in Christ, we do not judge them but we open up for compassion and mercy, we look at them with the eyes of the heart and do not let them go away without forgiveness, which is the correction according to the heart of Christ. Unanimous prayer – that is, with our heart united to the one of our brothers and sisters and to the one of Christ – is a just, pure, humble and confident prayer that puts us in the light of communion with God-Trinity. Prayer is Christian because it is communion with Christ and expands into the Church, which is his body. Its dimensions are those of the love of Christ, present in the community that is the place of forgiveness and of the feast for the repentant sinner, corrected by forgiveness.

2) Unanimous prayer.

To this teaching on fraternal correction Christ unites that on the importance of prayer, which is the omnipotence of intercession, especially when it is made in the community. Unanimous prayer, though made by only two or three people, makes God present in it.

It is the presence of Christ that makes the common prayer of those who are gathered together effective in his name. When we come together to pray, it is Jesus himself who is among us. We are one with Him, who is the only mediator between God and men, when we are reconciled with him by his forgiveness that we must share with our brothers and sisters.

It is really comforting to know that, if we are united in prayer, Christ is in among us. However, Christ does not insist on our unity only. He says that we must gather in his name. There are many reasons to be together: to work, to have fun, to stay in the family, to eat, to demonstrate, etc. But there is a way to be together that is a guarantee of the Presence of Jesus among us: if we are united in His Name.

What does it mean to be united in its Name? It means:

– to pray for Christ: through him, for his merits, for the power of his command, and for his authority;

– to pray with Christ: united to him our brother.

– to pray in Christ: to ask ,united indissolubly to him in the mind, in the heart, in thoughts and feelings, in ideals, in desires: in everything.

If, on the one hand, a prayer done in unity is the condition to be fulfilled, on the other hand the presence of Christ in this unity is the guarantee of the fulfilment of the prayer addressed to the Father by us, children in the Son. This is the teaching that Christ today gives us saying “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. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. “(Mt 18: 19-20).

If we look up in a dictionary the word “agreement”, we can find that the word may mean: concordance of feelings, conformity of ideas, be in perfect agreement = same heart, getting together of more wills.

If, then, we look up the verb “to agree” we can find these meanings: to reconcile; to arrange something in a harmonious, pleasing, convenient way; to harmonize instruments and voices.

Therefore the phrase “If two will agree” makes thinking of the musical instruments that agree to play a symphony. No Master of Music starts playing a symphony with his orchestra if the instrument are not tuned; no choir director will start the singing, unless the voices are tuned.

Therefore we can say that, as in music tuning produces the harmonious beauty of two instruments or two voices, so the agreement of two people in the community produces the beauty of two hearts and two wills that join together to be one: Jesus present among them.

It is he who becomes the prayer that the Father cannot fail to hear, to accept, to fulfill.

The Gospel of this Sunday reveals to us a wonderful truth: God listens to the voices tuned, to the unanimous prayer expressed by a heart that vibrates in unison with the other, and to the will seeking in agreement with each other the good, because in this prayerful unanimous gathering there is his Beloved Son.

Before addressing our request to God Father, let’s be in accord one another not because we compromise but because we united our heart to the one of our brothers and sisters and tune it to the hearth of Crist.

An example of this “unanimous” prayer is that of the consecrated virgins, who during their Consecration Rite receive the Liturgy Book of the Hours and are invited to an assiduous prayer for the Church.

Constant and unanimous prayer is a precious tool that allows these women to have an effective intercession service. Their being deeply united to God through the total gift of self, allows them to be deeply united to the others.

By consecrating to God, they show that it is worth to have fully trust in God. This confidence is expressed with unanimous assiduous prayer, in solidarity with others, and fully confident in God who knows us intimately and cares for us to the point that – says Jesus – “even the hair of your head is all counted. Do not be afraid ” (Mt 10: 30-31).

Finally, with the Liturgy of the Hour, these consecrated women point out that our prayer is public and common. When we pray, we pray not for one but for all the people, and this is because we, the whole people, are one (St. Cyprian, De oratione dominica, 8). In this way, they practice the teaching of unity that Christ, Prince of peace and foundation of concord, asks to each one of us, his brothers and sisters: to pray for everyone as He did for us all.

Arlington Catholic Herald

The need for Christian community

Fr. Jack Peterson, YA

9/07/17

GOSPEL COMMENTARY MT 18:15-20

A simple story is told about an active parishioner who stops going to church. The pastor calls him up and says, “It has been a while since I have seen you. Can I come by for a visit?” He arrives at the house and is invited into the living room where there is a roaring fire. Neither man says a word as they sit down. Almost immediately, a burning piece of wood falls from the fire off to the side in the fireplace. Its flame rather quickly dies down. Soon it is smoking. Then it goes out. The pastor gets up and places the same piece of wood back into the center of the fire. Soon it is aglow with flame and crackling as it burns beautifully. The man says, “I will see you on Sunday, Father.”

“Look forward to having you with us,” says the priest.

Today’s sacred Scriptures invite us to ponder the communal nature of our Catholic faith — to recognize how much we need one another as we journey the path of life and faith. Let’s look at two concrete ways in which Christ points out the need for community.

First, we have Jesus’ command in the Gospel to challenge our neighbor properly. In essence, Jesus gives us a lesson on fraternal correction — how to deal with someone who has sinned against us. In this instance, Jesus uses command language that suggests this is an important responsibility.

Our Lord outlines a process that is remarkably wise. First, go and address the issue with your neighbor alone. It is important to respect their good name and their dignity. It is good to hear their side of the story. It is possible that an honest explanation may quell a misunderstanding. A private resolution is not possible when the matter is taken public at the start.

If the attempt at a private resolution is not successful, bring another person or two into the process. Often, the witness of two or three can be more convincing. Sometimes a few people with a similar perspective can open up the heart of another person. If that doesn’t work, bring them before the church.

For many of us, this process sounds good until we need to put it into practice. Sometimes our anger takes over at the start and we immediately go public. Perhaps we are generally afraid of confrontation; we weaken and procrastinate indefinitely. Then, we stew over it, talk behind their back, and ruin their name with gossip. In this way, we fail to address the problem in a proper, charitable way.

Jesus’ approach is the mature, intelligent and charitable way to address an offense. The purpose of this process is not to punish, humiliate, get even or seek revenge. The purpose is to win over the brother or sister. The purpose is to help the other, to love them — to bring back the lost sheep. This process requires prayer, strength and virtue.

One way to gauge if we are sufficiently mature to correct another person well is to ask ourselves if we are willing to be corrected by another. That is a great litmus test.

The second concrete way that we see our need for Christian community is with regard to prayer. “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. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18: 19-20).

It is important that Christians pray together. Christ is suggesting that it adds power to our prayer. It is harder to go astray when we join our prayers together. It is often easier to discern God’s will when we discuss it with those who pray. We are less likely to let selfishness rule our prayer when we pray together. We also are more likely to be consistent with prayer when we do a portion of it regularly with others. It is like lifting weights with a partner … when one is busy or not in the mood, the other can be a great source of encouragement and consistency.

Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew is an invitation from Christ to not be a “lone ranger” Christian. It does not work when we try to live our faith on our own. It is clearly not what Christ intended. The Vatican II document on the church, “Lumen Gentium,” in the chapter entitled “People of God,” states, “(God) has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness” ( LG No. 9).

“For where two or there are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Fr. Peterson is director of mission and development for the Youth Apostles.

September 10, 2017

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ez 33:7-9

Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Reading 2 Rom 13:8-10

Alleluia 2 Cor 5:19

Gospel Mt 18:15-20

Readings at Mass

September, 2017

Pope's Prayer Intention

Parishes, That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Archbishop Follo: To correct in love and to pray in concord

The need for Christian community