Newsletter — Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – September 10, 2023

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10th September 2023
Education Day

Our First Reading this Sunday is from Ezekiel 33:7-9: The Son of Man is appointed as guardian of Israel.
The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 95: Song of praise to God, our salvation.
This week’s Second Reading is from Romans 13:8-10: The Law is summarized in the commandment to love your neighbour as yourself.
Today’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 18:15-20: Jesus teaches his disciples how to settle disputes in the Church.
In today’s reading we find one of only three instances in which Jesus uses the word church in Matthew’s Gospel. In Matthew’s record of Jesus’ teaching, we can hear echoes of the kinds of issues faced by the early Christian community.
In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus addresses a common occurrence in the Christian community: a dispute between two members of the Church. Jesus outlines a procedure for settling such matters fairly. The victim should privately address the offender and attempt to resolve the dispute without outside involvement. If that fails, then the victim should bring two or three witnesses and confront the offender again. If the dispute is still unresolved, the matter should be brought to the attention of the entire community. If the offender refuses to adhere to the reparations prescribed by the community, then Jesus suggests that the offender may be expelled from the Church.
Jesus does not discourage disagreement within the community of the Church; he acknowledges the reality of conflict and error and offers his disciples a means for addressing such matters. It is in the conclusion to this teaching that the message of hope is found: Jesus is present with the community and will guide the community in its relations. If decisions are taken in prayer, then the community can be assured of God’s assistance.

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