09/06/2026
Sunday 6 September 2026
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Ezekiel 33.7-9, Romans 13.8-10, Matthew 18.15-20)
IF YOUR BROTHER DOES SOMETHING WRONG….
The readings of this Sunday are very important for our world always but especially in this time of complexities. One thing that stands out in these readings is the fact that we are connected to each other. There is a growing tendency towards individualism and self-sufficiency that could be dangerous to our survival and happiness, there is growing wickedness and man’s inhumanity to man on different levels. God told Ezekiel that he was a watchman for Israel, so, being a prophet meant that Ezekiel had a serious responsibility not just to himself but to the sinners; he must warn them. If the sinner listens to him and repents, good for the sinner and Ezekiel. But if Ezekiel refuses to warn the sinner and he or she dies in his or her sins, then bad for the sinner and Ezekiel.
The same message appears in the gospel differently; if your brother or sister wrongs you, go to him or her and settle it. If it did not work out between two of you, take two or three persons and approach him or her again, if he or she refuses, report him or her to the entire community, if he or she still refuses to listen to the community, treat him or her as a pagan. This is about our connectedness, it is the understanding that our decisions, behaviours, etc affect others positively or negatively. It is about the fact that whatever goes round, comes around. Understanding our connectedness is often difficult, I read from a scientific article that without bees, human beings and other creatures will most likely cease to exist. This is based on scientific research not rumours. As tiny and sometimes troublesome as bees are, we will cease to exist without them!
The philosopher Emmanuel Kant said that when we act, we should act as if our action is going to become a universal law, act as if everyone will behave exactly like you. If you are a leader, you should build institutions as if every institution in the world would be built the same way. You should build hospitals and schools as if every hospital and school in the world should be like the ones you built. You should not build hospitals or schools that neither you nor your children will be happy to visit when they are sick. You should build security in such a way that you don’t need policemen or the whole barrack to follow you around, because it comes around. If you are posting or sharing things on social networks, you should do it as if it is about you or your relations, not as if it does not concern you, because, it comes around. In July, 2014, Stella Adadevoh from Nigeria saved tens or thousands of lives that possibly never related to her biologically or geographically by taking a heroic decision that cost her life and prevented Ebola from spreading in Nigeria. If she had said that it did not concern her, some of us might not be alive today.
Today’s readings call us to understand that we are connected to each other; a disease that started in one place can affect the whole world and a solution that is produced in one place can equally save the whole world. Not only leaders, but everyone of us should have it in mind that our actions, decisions, laws, attitudes, etc. can have positive or negative effects on others. We should equally bear in mind that whatever goes round comes around. This connectedness is not just about us as humans, it is about our environment, our children, the future generations, and our planet. It is always easy to give out negativity believing and hoping it does not come back to us.
The major reason we practise corruption and irresponsibility is because we feel it serves our interests, we hardly see it coming back to us, but it comes around. Like St Paul said, love is about thinking and taking responsibility for others, considering others, reconciling and serving the universe in our own little ways, building bridges and not burning them down; that is the only debt we owe each other, mutual love. May God give us the grace to grow, mature and advance in His love through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON
