23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); September 10, 2023

Ez 13:8-10.  Ps 95.  Rom 13:8-10.  Mt 18:15-20

Deacon Jim McFadden

If there is one absolute in our secular culture today is non-judgmentalism. That basis of that implicit bias is that there are no universal, absolute, objective standards that apply to all people at all times in every situation. All moral propositions are subjective and culturally relative. What follows is that you have your understanding of the truth and/or correct moral behavior and I have mine. Since there are no autonomous standards for right moral behavior, it all comes down to personal preference. My truth is as good as yours, so what right do you have to judge me? If you do, you are an intolerant moral bigot. Some people from a religious background will try to defend this point of view by citing Jesus’ famous enjoinder: “Judge not you will not be judged” or Pope Francis query, “Who am I to judge?” 

But what should be clear from all three of today’s readings is that we can point out another’s moral failings using an objective standard–indeed, Jesus does it all the time! The challenge is how we should navigate judging behavior while loving the other person? Our second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans is imminently helpful: “Love does no evil to the neighbor, hence, love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Rom 13:10).

Now, in light of all this, let’s turn to our first reading from the prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel–both of which deal with the touchy issue which we call ‘fraternal correction.’ When, how, and to what extend do we correct those who are in a morally reprehensible or dangerous situation? Again, we face this all the time in our relationships because our lives are so interconnected. But, rather than deal with the issue directly, our favorite pastime is critiquing others, finding fault. There’s a reason for this penchant: it makes us feel better ourselves when we tear down others.  In a strange moral calculus, the more I lower someone down, the higher elevate myself. And, what’s more, I can inflate myself-importance without doing a lick of interior or moral work!

What we don’t do is to confront people directly and this too for rather obvious reasons. When someone is doing something morally wrong, reprehensible, dangerous, or divisive, we will talk about to be sure; we’ll drag them down to others, you bet! But, direct confrontation, that’s emotionally threatening. We might get some highly-charged emotional blow-back. We

might get critiqued in return. We might lose a friend. We don’t want to risk getting hurt; so, we don’t do it.

What would happen if we looked at the issue from Paul’s criterion of love? We would first see this: that fraternal correction is necessary. Note the expression fraternal correction, which implies we do so within the context of Christian community, which demands (1) that we safeguard the communion and unity within the Church and (2) uphold the personal dignity of her members, which obliges respect for every individual conscience.

If someone within the community is in a bad way, doing something harmful, is on a destructive negative path, Jesus suggests a three-fold path of rehabilitation.  In the first place he says: “tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Mt 18:15); that is, don’t air the sin in public.  If a person is on an errant path, talk to him one-on-one.  It is about going to your brother or sister with discretion, in a non-threatening manner, not to judge him, but to help him realize what he has done and how his actions impact the relationships within the community. 

            However, it may happen that despite your good intentions and sensitive approach, the first intervention may fail.  if the person, however, doesn’t respond, what then? Do we revert back to gossiping and backstabbing? No!  Don’t give up on the person and wash your hands of the messy situation.  Do not give up, but seek the support of some other brother and sister.  Jesus says, “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” (v. 16).   See how restrained Jesus is as he prevents this conflict from turning into a scapegoating frenzy. Bring another person in; may he or she can help resolve the problem.

If that doesn’t work, only then bring in the Church. The Church, not the gossiping community. Don’t invite everybody, but only those who are committed to helping this person. In some situations the entire community becomes involved.  There are things that can have an impact on a wide swath of persons: it takes greater love than one person or a small group can muster.  But at times this may not be enough.  And Jesus says: “and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile, and a tax collector” (ibid.).  Jesus is not advocating throwing the person under the cart, but in reality is inviting us to put the brother in God’s hands: only the Father will be able to show greater love than that of the brothers and sisters put together.  Jesus admonition is not one that gives up on the person, but is a recognition that at times our human attempts may not be enough, and that only coming before God can bring the brother to face his conscience and responsibility for his actions.  If this matter does not work in the short term, then silence and prayer for our brother or sister who has made a mistake may be the best course of action. 

People of God, may the Virgin Mary help us to make fraternal correction a healthy practice, so that our communities may grow in fraternal relationships, founded on mutual forgiveness and above all on the invincible power of God’s love.  Amen.