We Are Called To Be Watchmen For Each Other ~ by Ronnie Archer
All three readings today remind us of the command from God to love our neighbor and also the responsibility that we have for each other.
We hear in the reading from Ezekiel today that we are appointed "watchmen for each other." In the second reading from Romans, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves.
In Matthew's gospel, we are told of the procedure that we should follow in a dispute between us and another person. "If one sins against us, we are told to go to them privately, and point the sin out to them"... and if he/she ignores, then we are to try again; this time, taking one or two others along as witnesses. Then only if that attempt is not successful, they should be exposed to the church. IF that person does not even listen to the church, then he is to be treated as an outsider, separating him from the community.
Our church family IS our extended family that we received through Baptism. We often times, have the mindset of living individually. God means for us to establish relationships and fellowship with each other. So we are "our brother's keeper..." in that we should check on each other when, and if we notice an absence by one of us from our congregation.
Jesus said in Matthew's gospel that "whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." We cannot hold unto grievances; we have to pray and then do what we can to resolve them and turn them over to God to resolve, by forgiving and showing love and mercy towards each other.
We need to ask ourselves... have we forgiven, as Jesus forgives? Do we show the love of Jesus to each other? Jesus says that "if two of you agree on earth about anything for which you are to pray, it shall be granted to you by our heavenly Father, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of them."
We are called to live as one family and one community. Jesus means for us to be "our brother's keeper."
We hear in the reading from Ezekiel today that we are appointed "watchmen for each other." In the second reading from Romans, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves.
In Matthew's gospel, we are told of the procedure that we should follow in a dispute between us and another person. "If one sins against us, we are told to go to them privately, and point the sin out to them"... and if he/she ignores, then we are to try again; this time, taking one or two others along as witnesses. Then only if that attempt is not successful, they should be exposed to the church. IF that person does not even listen to the church, then he is to be treated as an outsider, separating him from the community.
Our church family IS our extended family that we received through Baptism. We often times, have the mindset of living individually. God means for us to establish relationships and fellowship with each other. So we are "our brother's keeper..." in that we should check on each other when, and if we notice an absence by one of us from our congregation.
Jesus said in Matthew's gospel that "whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." We cannot hold unto grievances; we have to pray and then do what we can to resolve them and turn them over to God to resolve, by forgiving and showing love and mercy towards each other.
We need to ask ourselves... have we forgiven, as Jesus forgives? Do we show the love of Jesus to each other? Jesus says that "if two of you agree on earth about anything for which you are to pray, it shall be granted to you by our heavenly Father, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of them."
We are called to live as one family and one community. Jesus means for us to be "our brother's keeper."
~ Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time ~
* Photo showing the devastation in Haiti, 9/08
* Photo showing the devastation in Haiti, 9/08
Labels: sundayreflection
posted by mary ann @ Sunday, September 07, 2008
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