Speak, Respect and Heal

Homily for the 23^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 6, 2020. Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Gospel of St. Matthew 18:15-20.  Theme: Speak, Respect, and Heal

The three readings of today’s liturgy remind me of a famous saying that is the most frequently quoted of the modern era: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”  It means that we all, each one of us, have ownership of the world we live in.  It means that we all, each one of us, have a responsibility to confront evil in our culture and promote goodness.

And yet so few people really do. It goes against the grain of those who say they just need to mind their own business and not get involved in the lives of others. Yet they are usually among the first to whine and complain about the state of things in our nation today, be it COVID or economics or politics or the riots taking place in various cities. But as Christians we have an obligation to speak out, to be respectful while doing so, and to promote healing based on truth and love in our society. It seems to me that this is the message that are readings are conveying to us today.

First, as disciples of Christ, we have the responsibility to speak. The prophet Ezekiel in our first reading calls us to be like watchmen, who were the ones who alerted the people to approaching danger. We are to speak out and warn others of dangers than lie ahead, of lies being spread in the name of political power and social manipulation. Being bearers of the light of Christ and recipients of the unerring Word of God, we have a moral duty to speak the truth about right and wrong, to point out error and deceit.

How can we, as disciples of Christ, say nothing when the safety of the unborn and the welfare of the poor and the vulnerable are being attacked?  How can our consciences applaud us if we remain quiet while our society distances itself more and more from our Creator who has given us the inalienable rights we cherish as Americans?  As disciple of Christ, how can we fall silent when we hear politicians adamantly declare themselves to be “good Catholics” and then in the same breath advocate for public policies that insult and contradict the Gospel of Life that Jesus came to preach? For us to say nothing is to become complicit in the lies ad wrongs that are being done. If we speak and others refuse to listen then so be it, but at least we have spoken. At least we have done our duty before God and our neighbor. This is the message of the prophet.

Secondly, as disciples of Christ, we also have a duty to be respectful and patient with those who are not speaking the truth. This is something that is very much absent in our times. St. Paul tells us that we have a duty to respect the lives and relationships and property of others, even if we tag them as our “opponents”. This is desperately missing in today’s social interactions and conversations where disagreement with the acceptable public narrative - promoted by the dominant mainline media and fueled by organized violence - can cause someone to lose their occupation or worse, even their very life.

We Christians must lead by example.  We need to make sure that the conversations and debates that we have in daily life, or that we engage in online, are tempered with this personal respect and come from a place of genuine love for our neighbor. Our duty is to contain and extinguish the social-political fires not spread them!

Finally, as disciples of Christ, we are called to be healers in our very fractured and wounded society. And we all know full well that this division and mean-spiritedness is happening even within some of our own families and at some of our workplaces. Our Gospel reading reminds us that there is a way of dealing with conflict and divisiveness that is not based on rage or seeking revenge. The discipline, effort and patience needed for us to become peace-makers, to bind up wounds and heal discord, is another way of showing Christian responsibility. We refuse to become part of the problem and choose instead to become part of the solution because we know that through, with, and in Christ we can make a difference by promoting this healing process within pour own little slice of life!

As Catholic Christians, we are fully equipped to meet this social challenge because of the Eucharist that we celebrate, receive and adore.  At the Eucharist, we hear the Word of God proclaimed and explained and so are taught the truth that we must speak.  At the Eucharist, we come into intimate communion with Jesus the Bread of Life, and receive the power of his presence within us, enabling us to become channels of his healing mercy to our brothers and sisters, no matter who they may be. Through our devotion to the Eucharist we are strengthened in our resolve as Christians to be counted among those good people who do not and will not allow evil to triumph. Not on our watch!Deacon David Previtali · Speak, Respect and Heal