Homily 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A I Homily 6 September 2026 Year A

 

6 sep 2026 Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20

 

Christian love is more than being kind to people we like; it also means having the courage to correct, the humility to listen, and the grace to forgive. In the readings from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Jesus teaches us how to deal with broken relationships—not by gossip or revenge, but through truth, love, forgiveness and prayer.

Ezekiel lived during a painful period in Israel’s history. Jerusalem was under threat from Babylon, and many Israelites had already been taken into exile. In this situation, God gives Ezekiel a particular mission: “I have appointed you as watchman for the house of Israel.” A watchman stood on the city walls, watching for danger and sounding the trumpet when danger appeared. His responsibility was to warn the people; whether they listened or not was their responsibility. This image of the watchman speaks powerfully to us today. We are not responsible for changing everyone around us, but we are responsible for caring enough to speak when something is wrong. Sometimes love requires a difficult conversation, a gentle correction, or the courage to say, “I do not agree with you.” Remaining silent because we are afraid of rejection is not always an act of kindness. But Ezekiel also reminds us that a watchman does not stand above the people judging them. He stands for their good. His warning comes from God and is meant to lead people back to life. God does not desire the sinner’s death but wants the sinner to turn back and live. Before I ask, ‘Who needs me to be a watchman?’ perhaps I should first ask, ‘Am I willing to let someone be a watchman for me?’ The Christian watchman is not someone who is always looking for what is wrong in others. He is someone who loves enough to speak—and is humble enough to be corrected himself.

In the second reading taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, St Paul gives us a simple but powerful message: our greatest Christian duty is to love one another. He tells the Romans, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” Paul is not saying that we should ignore our responsibilities. Rather, he reminds us that love is a debt we can never completely repay. Every day gives us new opportunities to love. Paul connects love with the commandments. He mentions commandments such as not committing adultery, not killing, not stealing, and not coveting. All these commandments, he says, are summed up in one command: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” When we genuinely love another person, we will not want to harm, exploit, deceive, or destroy that person. Love naturally leads us towards what is good. Sometimes we make Christianity complicated. We may think that being a good Christian means only praying more, going to church, or following religious practices. These are important, but Paul reminds us that love must be at the heart of everything we do. The real test of our faith is often found in ordinary relationships: how we speak to our family, how patiently we listen, how we treat difficult people, and whether we forgive those who hurt us. Today, we can ask ourselves: Does my love for God become visible in the way I treat people? Perhaps the person who needs our love most is someone we find difficult to understand or accept. Love is not merely a feeling; it is a daily choice to seek the good of another.

A small disagreement between two people can sometimes become much bigger than the original problem. Instead of speaking to each other, they begin telling others. Soon, a small misunderstanding becomes a broken relationship. Jesus gives us a better way in today’s Gospel. The first step is direct and honest conversation. Jesus does not tell us to gossip, complain to others, or speak about the person behind his or her back. We are asked to go to the person directly, but with the intention of winning back the relationship, not winning an argument. If the person does not listen, Jesus suggests another step: take one or two others with you. If necessary, the matter can eventually be brought before the community. This shows that conflict is not merely a private matter. When relationships are damaged, the whole community is affected. At the same time, Jesus gives us a process, not a guaranteed formula. We can do our part, but we cannot force another person to change. We can speak the truth, listen, forgive, apologize, and reach out—but the final response belongs to the other person. This gives us different levels of conflict resolution: first, speak privately; second, seek the help of one or two trusted people; third, involve the wider community when necessary. At every stage, the goal should be reconciliation and restoration, not punishment or humiliation.

There is also another important lesson here: unforgiveness can keep us imprisoned long after the original conflict has ended. We replay the conversation in our minds. We imagine what we should have said. We carry the resentment for years. Sometimes the other person may even die before the relationship is healed. But the wound can remain alive within us. Forgiveness does not mean saying that what happened was acceptable. It means refusing to allow another person's wrongdoing to control our heart forever. Finally, Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” This is not simply about having a small prayer meeting. In the context of conflict, Jesus assures us that he is present even when difficult conversations have to take place. When people pray together, seek truth together, and genuinely desire reconciliation, there is a power greater than their own. This week the readings challenge us to speak when love requires you to speak. Listen when humility requires you to listen. Forgive when grace asks you to forgive. And when you have done your part, place the person—and the relationship—in God's hands. May God bless us all.