Scripture Reflections for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year A, Lectionary 127


The Triune God lives in community: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are meant to join that communion with God and each other but when we sin and break that bond we need to work to restore that relationship. Jesus teaches us to approach each other in love and community to gather our sisters and brothers who are moving away from us so as to ensure salvation remains for all.

Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: AccountabilityAngerApproachAuthorityChurchCommandmentCommunityCompassionConflictConfrontationCorrectionDialogueDisputeDivisionEcologyEzekielFaithForgiveJudgmentJusticeKnotLoveMercyNeighborOffendOrderPrayerReconciliationRelationshipRepentResolveSinStruggleUnityWatchmenWorship

Ezekiel 33:7-9
Catholic Productions

“we have to recognize if someone sinned against you, that there needs to be a process of reconciliation that begins with one-on-one and then may involve others as well, all with the interest of truth and charity in mind”


Brant Pitre in "Ezekiel 33 and Fraternal Correction" (June 26, 2020)
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Matthew 18:15-20
Catholic Productions

“as some scholars have pointed out if you say 'treat the person like a Gentile and a tax collector'...What it means is that they need to be evangelized again, they need the gospel to be represented to them so that they can be called to repentance and then reintegrated into the community”


Brant Pitre in "Reconciliation in the Church" (September 01, 2020)
Catholic Productions

“when people read these lines in Matthew 18 they move too quickly to an individualistic interpretation of it and they forget...that reconciliation with God is really inseparable from reconciliation with the one church of Christ”


Brant Pitre in "Whatever You Bind and Loose" (June 19, 2020)
Catholic Women Preach

“The challenges of our church and our world are invitations to continuous discernment of how to dialogue, to forgive, and to be obedient to the urgings of the Spirit”


Carolyn Jacobs (September 10, 2023)
Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry

“If you're trying to win the argument you're not doing what Christ is asking you to do. If you're trying to win over the person then you're following Christ's way.”


Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ in "Loving Confrontation" (September 10, 2023)
Catholic Women Preach

“And with understanding comes the opportunity for transformation. Repentance by those who caused the harm, healing for those harmed.”


Karen Clifton (September 10, 2017)
St. Teresa of Avila - DC

“Jesus tells his followers that when we encounter a truly unrepentant brother or sister who refuses to accept even the Church's arbitration powers we should treat him or her like a tax collector. So speaks Matthew the tax collector who had been treated with great compassion by the Lord himself.”


Archbishop Wilton Gregory (September 06, 2020)

“can you imagine just how more powerful the Christian nation would be if we ever stop and began to speak in one accord? How much more powerful could we possibly be if we ever stop fighting each other and began to work, speak and pray for one thing?”


Fr. Tony Ricard (September 10, 2023)
Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry

“when I look back at all the conflicts in my life, the one's that have gone well have all contained those 4 elements: love, speak, listen, pray”


Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ (September 06, 2020)
Overall Readings

“People want to believe without belonging. However, believing the Good News entails belonging to the 'ekklēsia.' Belonging is essential for wholeness and holiness.”


Fr. Geoffrey Plant in "Where two or three meet in my name" (September 03, 2023)

“when it comes to reclaiming a lost brother or a lost sister no stone must be left unturned”


Fr. Emmanuel Ochigbo (September 04, 2023)
Catholic Women Preach

“in order to obey instructions from God it helps to be in relationship with God. And our relationship with God grows out of our worship with God and hardened hearts get in the way of worship, get in the way of authentic obedience, get in the way of authentic love.”


Dr. Julie Welborn (August 24, 2020)
Saint Katharine Drexel Parish - Boston, MA

“Order is in being right relationship with our sisters and brothers and celebrating that relationship because we know it comes from God. That is what we are supposed to be all about...what we are growing to, moving towards, building ourselves into.”


Fr. Oscar Pratt (September 06, 2020)
U.S. Catholic magazine

“There will be times when maintaining firm boundaries is necessary to keep us safe, especially if we're the ones being harmed. But we are not called to give up on each other or on ourselves or on the very real and ever present possibility of redemptive love. Real love which does no evil to the neighbor”


Jennifer Vosters (September 05, 2023)
Saint Katharine Drexel Parish - Boston, MA

“Can you imagine the society we could share, the world that we could dwell within if we experience and practice that gift of love that doesn't just come from God, is God?”


Fr. Oscar Pratt (September 10, 2023)

“Do not treat the other person based on who they are rather treat them based on who you are. You must not let the bitterness of the other person take away your own sweetness.”


Fr. Emmanuel Ochigbo (September 05, 2020)
St. Teresa of Avila - DC

“It finally takes a lot of courage to go to talk to one other person. That one person who has offended you so deeply that you are still recovering form that hurt. It takes a lot to go to them, doesn't it?”


Monsignor Raymond East (September 10, 2023)
UACatholic

“What does he say? We should first take a deep breath and say 'come Holy Spirit, help me not to be afraid to approach my family'”


Fr. John Paul Forté, OP (September 10, 2023)