Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, priest, Martyrs
Biographical Information about Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus
Readings for Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22
In this vision from Ezekiel the Lord calls down retribution upon the idolatrous people of Jerusalem. The scribe (“…a man dressed in linen, with a writer’s case at his waist.”) marked the innocent with an “X” on their foreheads (the letter Thau forms an X). God then strikes both the Temple and Jerusalem sparing those who were marked. All this is done as the Lord prepares to abandon the city (“Then the glory of the Lord left the threshold of the temple”).
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
This hymn of praise ties into the vision of God expressed by Ezekiel above. The omnipotence of the Lord is exalted as he is seated on his throne above the heavens.
Gospel Matthew 18:15-20
“Passing from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number, the discourse now turns to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction; if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses; if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled. The church's judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God. The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small. “[3]
Reflection:
We have some very good practical direction given by St. Matthew’s Gospel today. That advice is coupled with a reiteration of Jesus passing his authority on to his disciples (and by that action through apostolic succession, to the Holy See and the Chair of Peter). It is direction that we frequently do not take. It is easier, after all to run first to some authority than to try to correct a person directly. Many of us do not like the confrontation involved.
This instruction, however, is in keeping with the fundamental respect Jesus teaches us we must have for the human person. The fact that we should go to a person who has done something wrong before saying any thing to anyone else is based upon the presumption that the person did not know they had erred or had done so out of ignorance. The underlying idea – people are all God’s creations are to be loved, but sometimes they make bad or uninformed choices.
Understanding these underlying assumptions the way Jesus teaches them is important. Having the attitude of profound respect for the other person will dictate how we approach them with the correction. When we do this, as St. Paul said in Philippians, “Our attitude should be that of Christ…”. When we correct we correct the action or the behavior, not the person. If, for instance, the person we approach has caused hurt by saying things that are disparaging of someone else, we should tell them that that untruth was hurtful and that they should check the facts before repeating damaging comments. That is much different than telling them that they are a bad person because of their actions.
Scripture is clear. If after we have done our best to correct them in a one on one situation, the next step is to bring one or two others along and try again. (This actually harkens back to Mosaic Law where two witnesses were required to press a charge against an offender of the Law.). If that fails, the Church needs to be informed and appropriate action taken. In very serious (and rare) situations excommunication is the end result of this process.
While this method of correction is taught as a way to deal with members of our faith community, because of the underlying assumptions about the dignity of the human person, it is also recommended for use with others we meet. Especially in situations where confrontation takes place, our opportunity to demonstrate the love for others our Lord commanded us to have will be most effectively demonstrated.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Fraternal Correction” by an UNKNOWN; Illustrator of Jerome Nadal's 'Evangelicae Historiae Imagines', 1593
[3] See NAB Footnote on Matthew 18:15-20
Biographical Information about Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus
Readings for Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22
In this vision from Ezekiel the Lord calls down retribution upon the idolatrous people of Jerusalem. The scribe (“…a man dressed in linen, with a writer’s case at his waist.”) marked the innocent with an “X” on their foreheads (the letter Thau forms an X). God then strikes both the Temple and Jerusalem sparing those who were marked. All this is done as the Lord prepares to abandon the city (“Then the glory of the Lord left the threshold of the temple”).
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.
This hymn of praise ties into the vision of God expressed by Ezekiel above. The omnipotence of the Lord is exalted as he is seated on his throne above the heavens.
Gospel Matthew 18:15-20
“Passing from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number, the discourse now turns to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction; if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses; if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled. The church's judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God. The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small. “[3]
Reflection:
We have some very good practical direction given by St. Matthew’s Gospel today. That advice is coupled with a reiteration of Jesus passing his authority on to his disciples (and by that action through apostolic succession, to the Holy See and the Chair of Peter). It is direction that we frequently do not take. It is easier, after all to run first to some authority than to try to correct a person directly. Many of us do not like the confrontation involved.
This instruction, however, is in keeping with the fundamental respect Jesus teaches us we must have for the human person. The fact that we should go to a person who has done something wrong before saying any thing to anyone else is based upon the presumption that the person did not know they had erred or had done so out of ignorance. The underlying idea – people are all God’s creations are to be loved, but sometimes they make bad or uninformed choices.
Understanding these underlying assumptions the way Jesus teaches them is important. Having the attitude of profound respect for the other person will dictate how we approach them with the correction. When we do this, as St. Paul said in Philippians, “Our attitude should be that of Christ…”. When we correct we correct the action or the behavior, not the person. If, for instance, the person we approach has caused hurt by saying things that are disparaging of someone else, we should tell them that that untruth was hurtful and that they should check the facts before repeating damaging comments. That is much different than telling them that they are a bad person because of their actions.
Scripture is clear. If after we have done our best to correct them in a one on one situation, the next step is to bring one or two others along and try again. (This actually harkens back to Mosaic Law where two witnesses were required to press a charge against an offender of the Law.). If that fails, the Church needs to be informed and appropriate action taken. In very serious (and rare) situations excommunication is the end result of this process.
While this method of correction is taught as a way to deal with members of our faith community, because of the underlying assumptions about the dignity of the human person, it is also recommended for use with others we meet. Especially in situations where confrontation takes place, our opportunity to demonstrate the love for others our Lord commanded us to have will be most effectively demonstrated.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Fraternal Correction” by an UNKNOWN; Illustrator of Jerome Nadal's 'Evangelicae Historiae Imagines', 1593
[3] See NAB Footnote on Matthew 18:15-20
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