Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 10, 2023
First Reading: Ezekiel 33.7-9
7And as for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore, having heard the word from my mouth, you shall announce it to them from me8When I say to the impious, ‘O impious man, you will die a death,’ if you have not spoken so that the impious man will keep himself from his way, then that impious man will die in his iniquity. But I will attribute his blood to your hand9But if you have announced to the impious man, so that he may be converted from his ways, and he has not converted from his way, then he will die in his iniquity. Yet you will have freed your own soul
Psalm 95
1The Praise of a Canticle, of David himself. Come, let us exult in the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to God, our Savior2Let us anticipate his presence with confession, and let us sing joyfully to him with psalms3For the Lord is a great God and a great King over all gods4For in his hand are all the limits of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are his5For the sea is his, and he made it, and his hands formed the dry land6Come, let us adore and fall prostrate, and let us weep before the Lord who made us7For he is the Lord our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand8If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts9as in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me, though they had seen my works10For forty years, I was offended by that generation, and I said: These have always strayed in heart11And these have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest
Second Reading: Romans 13.8-10
8You should owe nothing to anyone, except so as to love one another. For whoever loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law9For example: You shall not commit adultery. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not speak false testimony. You shall not covet. And if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself10The love of neighbor does no harm. Therefore, love is the plenitude of the law
Gospel: Matthew 18.15-20
15But if your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you will have regained your brother16But if he will not listen you, invite with you one or two more, so that every word may stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses17And if he will not listen to them, tell the Church. But if he will not listen to the Church, let him be to you like the pagan and the tax collector18Amen I say to you, whatever you will have bound on earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you will have released on earth, shall be released also in heaven19Again I say to you, that if two of those among you have agreed on earth, about anything whatsoever that they have requested, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven20For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to live as responsible members of God’s family, bound together by love and accountability. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear the prophet’s commission as a watchman for the house of Israel. Ezekiel is reminded that his role is not only to proclaim God’s word but also to ensure that those who hear it are given the opportunity to turn away from sin. The prophet’s responsibility is not just to speak, but to speak in such a way that others might be saved. This passage underscores the gravity of our shared responsibility for one another’s spiritual well-being.
The second reading from Romans shifts our focus to the heart of the law: love. Paul reminds us that love for our neighbor is the fulfillment of the entire law. He lists several commandments—against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting—but emphasizes that these are all summed up in the simple yet profound command to love one another. Love, Paul says, does no harm to others, and it is the very essence of living according to God’s will. This reading invites us to examine how we love those around us and whether our actions reflect the selfless love that God calls us to.
In the Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus’ teaching on how to handle conflict and sin within the community. Jesus outlines a step-by-step process for addressing wrongdoing: first, speak privately to the person; if that doesn’t work, involve one or two others; and if there is still no resolution, bring the matter to the Church. This process is not about condemnation but about restoration and reconciliation. Jesus also reminds us of the power of prayer and agreement in community, assuring us that when two or three gather in his name, he is present among them. This passage challenges us to approach conflict with patience, humility, and a desire to heal rather than to punish.
These readings are deeply connected. Ezekiel’s call to speak the truth in love, Paul’s emphasis on love as the heart of the law, and Jesus’ teaching on reconciliation all point to the same reality: our faith is not a solitary endeavor but a communal one. We are called to care for one another, to speak the truth in love, and to work toward healing and unity. In our daily lives, this means being willing to have difficult conversations, to forgive, and to seek forgiveness. It also means recognizing that our actions have consequences not just for ourselves, but for those around us. May we strive to live in such a way that we reflect God’s love and mercy, both in our words and in our actions.