Father Peter’s Homilies

HOMILY for 23rd SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME – Year A

This Sunday’s Gospel tells us about the steps of reconciliation process, which reminds
me of this cute story that I would like to share with you.
One day a boy & his grandparents came to visit a 150-year-old historic Catholic church.
As they toured the church, the grandfather explained the reason for some of the architectural
& liturgical features, while the boy listened intently. Then they reached the confessional in the
back.
“I know what this is!” the boy enthused, “it’s for time-out, right?”
Anyway, if there is one thing that would inevitably happen between two people, it
would be a disagreement or fight. A friend or neighbor would eventually do something wrong
against another or step on the other’s toes. That is why fights & conflicts have happened
throughout human history beginning with the deadly fight between Cain & Abel. In fact, the
world is currently on fire as we see conflicts happen in the Middle East between US-Israel &
Iran-all their proxy groups such as Hamas, Hezbolah, Houthis, & so on; in Ukraine between
Ukraine & Russia; in Sudan between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) & Rapid Support Forces
(RSF); in Congo between M23 rebel group & Rwanda; or right here in the US between
Democrats & Republicans.
Realizing those endless fights & conflicts with deadly consequences in our human family,
Jesus wants to reconcile the two fighting parties & bring healing & peace to our broken world.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, He proposes the reconciling process step by step for us. First, He tells
us to go & let the other party about one’s wrongful act hoping that the two parties would
reconcile & settle the differences. But, we all know that reconciliation does not happen that
easily. Nowadays, people do not even agree on what is the truth. On the contrary, they cook up
fake information to support their side without any regard to the truth & the need for
reconciliation. Next, we could invite the third party to witness & mediate the reconciling
discussion. If that does not work, we must refer the discussion to the Church. The reason why
two fighting parties should involve the Church is because hopefully they would respect the
Church & judging power of God to make peace with one another. Unfortunately, the world
continues to be more secularized & looks down on institutions such as the Church. So, the last
thing that we are supposed to do in reconciliation is to treat the opposing party like a gentile or
tax collector. In other words, we should deal with the opposing party like a normal human
being by showing respect & the potential for conversion. Those are the basic steps of the
reconciliation & peace plan in dealing with fights & conflicts.
Unfortunately, most fighting parties do not follow that suggestive plan of reconciliation
& peace. That is why we continue to see fights & conflicts happen all over the world. People
have kept violating one Commandment after another as Paul listed some of the most notorious
sins in today’s Second Reading for us. He said, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not
murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet.” Surely the whole world has committed all
those Commandments & created one conflict after another against its neighbors. It seems like
everyone is not interested in peace & love anymore as we see a dividing situation in our
country & a fractured state of the world right now. Many Christians have engaged in all sorts of
fights & conflicts as a righteous warrior or an indignant judge who wants to settle score with an
evil & sinful world. We Christians have forgotten that our assigned mission is to make peace &
convert the world back to God. We Christians are not called to judge & condemn the world no
matter what. That is why Jesus has suggested to us the reconciliation & peace plan in today’s
Gospel.
Meanwhile, in today’s First Reading, prophet Ezekiel reminds us of the duty that the
Lord has assigned us to do as the following, “…When you hear me say anything, you shall warn
them for me. If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, & you do not speak out to
dissuade the wicked man from his way, he shall die for his guilt; but I will hold you responsible
for his death. But, if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, he shall die for
his guilt, but you shall save yourself.” As you can see, our job is to help our wicked world to
change its way of life & convert back to God. We are not called to be the judge or the
executioner of our wicked world. So, let us leave that judging job to God & try to bring
reconciliation & peace to our broken world.
In case we have not got the point that Jesus wants us to do with the suggestive
reconciliation & peace plan in today’s Gospel or the mission that He calls us to carry out with
the His death on the Cross, Paul wants to remind us with this message in today’s Second
Reading, “…All [the laws & Commandments] are summed up in this, ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’ Love never does any wrong to the neighbor, hence love is the fulfillment
of the Law.” Paul evidently believes that we owe love to our neighbors. If we do that, we have
already fulfilled all the laws & Commandments. That is why we need to find every possible way
to reconcile & convert our neighbors back to God. That is why it is sinful & evil when our
political leaders threaten their enemies or people that they do not like with killing & all sorts of
severe punishments. When leaders & their followers constantly call for violent acts & promote
hate & division, it is absolutely contrary to the divine will & plan of salvation. Don’t believe me,
just look up to the Cross of Jesus to see if He wants to reconcile us with God the Father or
condemn us. That is why it is terribly wrong to see Christians pursue anything else other than
reconciliation & conversion of the world.
My dear brothers & sisters, are you the reconciler & peacemaker? Or, are you the
instigator & agitator? Hopefully we would look up to Jesus & follow His example to bring
reconciliation & peace to our broken world. That way we will help end all the current conflicts
& build up a peaceful & loving world.