Love Is The Fulfillment of the Law

09-10-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Manasseh Iorchir, VC

Mrs Jamie Bescak, Principal of St. John Bosco School, likes to sign her emails with these words from St. Paul, “Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). This is a very good summary of what the Readings this weekend invite us to internalize and practice.

In the First Reading, the Prophet Ezekiel, called to prophesy to Israel during the Babylonian exile, is designated a “watchman” over Israel and intimated on the seriousness of his task. If he refuses to dissuade the sinner from his sinful way despite receiving word from The Lord, he (the Prophet) shall be held responsible for the death of the sinner. This is a scary warning for anyone to whom the prophetic ministry is graciously given. We, believers and witnesses, are the watchmen/women of our time and community. God desires that His will be done on earth, that His kingdom be firmly established and sustained among all people.

Many times the world chooses to operate in ways that are diametrically opposed to God’s will, dishing out hatred and conflict as well as sin and vice where God desires love, harmony, obedience and virtue. As sentinels of the redeemed age called to “watch” over God’s creation, we ought to be vigilant, consistent and persistent in preaching the love of God which, as St. Paul notes, is the fulfillment of the Law. Our duty is to invite and enhance the active and committed participation of everyone in God’s great love feast. If we carry out our task with the required diligence and seriousness, we shall reap the reward of eternal life. If instead we fail to warn those opposed to righteousness we shall have to endure unpleasant consequences for lending passive complicity to their evil.

Preachers and committed witnesses will agree that confronting sin and evil is never easy, especially when it is perpetrated by those we love or respect. The need to be at peace with all and even be loved by many is a desired reality for even the most fiery and vocal preachers. It is sometimes awkward to look parishioners, whom you have come to love and respect, in the face and tell them that they are living in the wrong relationship through cohabitation. I imagine how terrible parents feel when they have to tell their baptized children who have either left the faith or have become intolerably lukewarm that apostasy or religious indifference is not alright. It is really hard for you to tell a loved one whose life is constrained by abuse of substance or addiction that they are on the brink of self-destruction if they do not commit to positive change. Thus, the watchman often experiences reluctance to “interfere” in “other people’s” business. The First Reading warns us of the consequences of this unholy reluctance. If we truly love God’s people, we would be prepared to off er them “tough love” sometimes by correcting them lovingly, yet clearly.

Knowing that the future assembly of believers were bound to have disagreements which might lead to conflicts, Jesus offered His Disciples a loving, yet clear and practicable, process for resolving interpersonal disagreements in the Gospel passage this weekend. An off ended believer is to confront and dialogue with his offending brother with the view to resolving their differences amicably. If this fails, Jesus suggests the invitation of a third party to mediate, and if mediation does not produce the desired outcome, the matter is to be deferred to the Church for resolution. Should this too fail, the recalcitrant offender is to be treated as a Gentile and a tax collector. This is where many are puzzled: how should we treat a Gentile or tax collector? The answer is in finding out how Jesus treated Gentiles and tax collectors: with compassion and love (Matt. 15:21-28, John 4, Luke 19:1-10). Thus, for harmony to persist in the Church, we must treat even those who are undeserving of mercy with compassion as God has shown us through Christ.

May the Church of Christ be blessed with fearless and courageous preachers and witnesses who look after God’s flock with both tenderness and clarity, and may we show mercy even to those who are apparently undeserving of it as we ourselves have been shown mercy. Do everything in love.

Please be kind and may God bless you.

Fr. Manasseh