09/06/2026
The Church Is Where The Lost Get Found- The mission of Jesus coming into the world was to save the world. This is the same mission of Jesus’ Church, to save the world. The motivation of God is found in one of the best known Scripture verses from John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Love is the greatest of the spiritual gifts. St. Paul in our 2nd Reading from Romans 13 writes, “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Love should always be the main motivation of the Church, whether it is those in authority in the Church (the Pope, Bishops, Priests, Deacons) or any member of the Church including religious brothers and sisters and the lay faithful. Love for the Lord the Lord our God comes first and love for one another should be at the heart of why we worship and follow God and how we approach and interact with one another. The 1st Reading from Ezekiel 33:7-9 and the Gospel from Matthew 18:15-20 address specifically the importance of correction of someone who is lost from following the ways of the Lord. This is particularly the role of those left in charge by the Lord. In Ezekiel we heard, “You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.” The motivation should be love, the care of the person’s immortal soul, but the Lord also warns Ezekiel of the consequences for the person doing evil as well as for himself that they will be held responsible. “But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.” In the Gospel in Matthew 18, Jesus gives His disciples a model to follow in correcting a brother or sister in the Lord when they sin against us: 1 st “go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” This is the way to handle where one has sinned against us, and in a particular and very important way is how those in leadership, in particular, the Apostles who were in charge of the Church and the Apostles today, the Pope and Bishops are to handle followers who have sinned against Christ and His Church. Jesus extends the authority to the rest of the Apostles that He had given to St. Peter in Matthew 16 the authority to govern His Church and forgive sin when Jesus proclaimed, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” It is important for the Pope and Bishops of the Church to address the scandal of sin especially as “watchmen” of the Church to protect the Church from the scandal of sin. This would include Bishops and priests that have greatly sinned. This would include those Catholics who give public scandal. A clear example would be Catholics who through public acts of their office promote abortion. It is important for the Bishop of that person to go 1st to that person privately, then if they don’t listen to bring a few others, and if they do not listen to bring it before the Church. If after these steps the person is unwilling to repent of their sin, then Jesus speaks about treating them as “a Gentile or a tax collector”. In other words to let them know that their serious sin has cut them off from communion with Jesus and His Church which could be expressed in refusing someone to receive Communion because their actions have excommunicated themselves from the Church. What is important for us if you or I are called to turn away from our sin(s) and when we are called to fraternal correction of someone is to heed the call of the Responsorial Psalm, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” St. Paul lists some of the serious sins in Romans 13, ““You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ” and whatever other commandment there may be,”. If we have fallen into these sins, we need to turn away from our wickedness. With others, you and I are called to be “watchmen” for those that we know. If we become aware of a brother or sister especially straying from the Lord in a serious way we should reach out to them to encourage them to turn away from sin and turn back to the Lord. Right before today’s Gospel Chapter 18 of Matthew begins with the story of seeking out the Lost Sheep. To love someone is to not let them perish in their sins, but to seek out the lost. In following the Lord and in seeking out a brother or sister in the Lord in loving “your neighbor as yourself” means that “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” Love is the greatest of the spiritual gifts. Love wills the good of the other and so God is calling the Pope, the Bishops, me and my brother Priests, religious brothers and sisters and you the lay faithful to call others from their sins. Let us be a voice lovingly calling our brothers and sisters who have strayed back to the Lord and to following His divine will for our lives. Blessings to you and your family. Be assured you, your family, and friends are being lifted up in my prayers!!! If you have any pastoral needs, please feel free to contact me by phone or email at [email protected].
In Christ
Fr. Jeff
