23rd Sunday Ordinary Time - Matthew 18: 15-20 - "Making Saints"

Our faith is a relational faith.  We are in a loving relationship with God through His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit.  Together we form one body: this community of faithful believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  We each are in a relationship with God, the Father and are filled with His love.  It is through God’s Holy Spirit that comes to us, in His eternal love; filling us with his grace, so we may come into an ever closer relationship with Him. 

We are a people filled with God’s love: sons and daughters of the Father whose Spirit fills us with a burning desire to be with Him in that place he has prepared for us.  

In His divine love, God, the Father sent his Son to save us.  Jesus became flesh, like us, sharing with us the sorrows and joys of human existence.  He suffered the pains of persecution and death to bring us the Good News of the Father’s love; leading us into the peace and joy of the Father’s heavenly kingdom.  

Through the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross, the sins of man were expiated.  His sacrifice for our sins was a sacrifice once, and for all time.  His resurrection; opening the gates of heaven, so we may rise up with Him to eternal life in the Father love.

All this wonder was accomplished for us, God’s creation, His children, so we may enjoy the mutual love of the Father in relationship with and through Him with one another.  We are not a people created in isolation: to be alone.  God, when He created Adam, the first human, said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” (Gen 2:18).  By His divine hand we are made to be in relationship with Him and with one another.

God created the world for man and placed us in dominion over His work, not to conquer, for he has given us this gift, but as stewards, caretakers of His gift - for all mankind throughout the generations.  By this He has brought us into relationship with all peoples: past and future generations until the end of time.

As God loves us and cares for us, He calls us to love and care for one another.  We are not only stewards of the gift of this world, but also caregivers to one another.  Our relationship with God is made manifest in the loving relationship we live with our sisters and brothers in Christ.  

As we are called to bring the Good News of God’s love and salvation to all the nation’s we are called to continually instruct and counsel all, so they may come to know God’s love and encouraged to live in relationship with Him.  

• We are to admonish our brothers and sisters when they stray from God’s love; causing a harm to their life in God and among the community of faithful.
• As imperfect beings, we may be wounded by others.  In God’s love we are to bear these wrongs with love and patience: never letting anger to cause us to sin, so that we fall into the hands of the evil-one.
• We are called to forgive offenses and ask forgiveness of God and one another when we offend.  In doing so, we return to our right relationship with God and community.

For sin is never personal or private, but as we are created for God and for one another, sin separates us; placing us outside the peaceful harmony of God’s loving relationship in Him and among His children.

In His humanness, Christ came to know our suffering.  His love and compassion for the sorrowful and suffering is our model for sharing God’s love with all our sisters and brothers who suffer.  As we are loved, we show God’s love to one another in the comfort and consolation we receive, as we comfort and console those who suffer.  

God’s sharing of our human condition through Jesus, brings us the knowledge that God is not distant and uncaring, but desires to share with us His eternal being.

In life, all our relationships require work to refresh and renew them.  “Out of sight – out of mind” diminishes and dissipates relationships.  So it is with our relationship with God and one another.  Through prayer, our relationship with God is strengthened and increased.  We also strengthen and increase our relationship with one another, living and dead through prayer.  We pray for the good of others, so they may enjoy the fruits of God’s love in this life and we pray for those who have gone before us, that they may rest in the joy and peace of God’s ultimate love - eternal life with Him

Jesus, in the Gospel of Matthew, shows us that we are our brother and sister’s keeper.  As children of our Loving God, we, the community of believers, are called to stay in right loving relationship with God and with one another.  As disciples of Jesus, it is our duty to help bring all our brothers and sisters to come to know God’s love for us, as we share His love with one another.   

God makes saints through His love found in His children: shared with all who live in His love. ~ Amen 

Peace,
Deacon Don