Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
23rd Sunday in Ordinary time – September 10, 2023
Ezekiel 33: 7-9; Romans 13: 8-10; Matthew 18: 15-20
Am I my brother’s keeper… is one of the earliest rebellions against God that is recorded in the Bible. We are placed as sentries over our brothers and sisters, reminds prophet Ezekiel. Each of us is responsible for everyone who struggles or suffers. Everyone who suffers, suffers because of someone else! And we are responsible for the one who causes the suffering too! In short… we are responsible for every “other”, every situation and everything that happens around us. We cannot feign ignorance, nor can we justify it. We cannot claim innocence, nor can we really explain it. This is in all Christian sense – TRUE LOVE.
True Love, or Christ-ian sense of Love, is reciprocal responsibility – responsibility for the wellbeing of each other! We are not saved alone – saints like Don Bosco would teach: we do not go to heaven alone! We are called to live in a community not merely here, even after here! We are created by Love, in love, for love. And this love is not merely a sentimental attachment to each other, but a genuine wishing the good of the other. That is why this True Love has some specific characteristics.
Love Connects beyond differences: Love connects, unites, binds, gathers, creates communion. Anything that does not sincerely promote union of persons and communities, is not love in anyway. Today we have forces in the society, in the world, even within the Church which spread hatred, division, calumny and power plays. They come nowhere close to what Christ taught his own – where two or three are gathered in my name… not divided in my name or fighting in my name or destroying each other in my name! Finally, it is love that constructs the community, builds the people of God and gives rise to the people of the Reign.
Love Corrects without hesitations: Love gathers, yes! But that does not mean it compromises! Love is justice, love is righteousness, love is Godliness – hence love corrects. When my brother or my sister goes wrong, love reaches out, points out and corrects! Let us take the corollary seriously too: when I do a mistake, my brothers and sisters are obliged to point it out to me. Love requires on my part to accept that correction and set my life right. Love is merciful, forgiving and compassionate – but at the same time, it never compromises, nor rejoices in evil; it is patient and enduring, until everything falls in place. Love makes all efforts to correct the other, however with respect, regard and responsibility.
Love Conducts towards paradise: Love takes us towards the destiny that we are promised – eternal life, the paradise. And the stark fact is: love alone can take us there! That is why St. Paul reminds us today in the second reading, all the commandments are summarised and crystallised in one call that we have received: the call to love our brothers and sisters. Love alone can make me a Christian. Neither my great achievements nor my tremendous sacrifices, neither my competences nor my influential contacts, can really conduct me towards the promised paradise. It is love and love alone, it is true love that conducts me to the eternal reward.
Love builds a community and the community thus built, is sustained by that same love. True love, connects. corrects and conducts the believers… towards the abode of love, the eternal life promised us, our blessed paradise.
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He has completed his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.