HOMILY OF WEDNESDAY IN THE 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 18:15-20
THEME: HOW TO KNOW A CHRISTIAN.
Jesus taught us in today’s gospel to treat our contenders with compassion and sympathy.
Those who persistently decline reconciliation despite our earnest efforts to address our disagreements should be regarded as pagans and tax collectors. This simply means that they should be seen as people in most need of conversion, because they do not know the love of Christ which invites us to unity.
The best way to know a Christian is to seek out for those who do not cherish division. That does not mean that a Christian must agree all the time. Oftentimes, we disagree to agree, but we must love reconciliation.
Apostolic succession is a special gift given to those who did not disconnect from the Church through the transfer of the apostolic mantle. In the first reading, “Joshua’s son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. It was he that the sons of Israel obeyed, carrying out the order that the Lord had given to Moses.” The unity of the church is a power to change society. Ecumenism is divinely inspired.
The Lord said, “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”
We keep praying for Christian unity, that the spirit of the Lord will not depart from his Church. Amen.
