[Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20]

There are times when the Church speaks up on certain matters that we are told not to get involved or the Church is portrayed as being out of step with current thinking. Some of these issues such as abortion, assisted suicide and same sex marriage, have involved the Church Hierarchy encouraging all of us to write to our MP or to get involved in organised protests. These are important issues, not only for Christians, but for our whole society and there are some politicians or journalists who would encourage us to ‘stay in our lane’ or accuse us of trying to force our beliefs onto others. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Two of our Scripture readings today tell us why we need to continue to point out when things are wrong. It is what God expects us to do! In the reading from Ezekiel, we are told that if we see someone erring, then we must point it out to them, if we fail to do so, then we will be liable to the punishment they would have received. If, however, we tell them and they choose to ignore us, then they will own their punishment.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus telling us not to hold onto hurst silently. If someone offends us, we are encouraged to point it out to them, if they ignore us we are to get involved in the discussions around the available evidence and take action based on the outcome of the discussions which ensue. Jesus is not telling us to reject people; He is encouraging us to give even those who offend us, every possible chance to change their ways.

When our bishops encourage us to get involved in the public debate on moral issues, it is not so that we alienate ourselves or to put distance between ourselves and those in favour of the issues; it is to ensure that all possible views are taken account of. For example, in the Assisted dying [aka assisted suicide] debate the Church are pointing out that life is sacred from conception until natural death. We are highlighting the flaws in the legislation which could see, and in fact has seen in other jurisdictions, vulnerable people being encouraged to end their life prematurely. The debate resulted in the previous attempt to introduce this legislation being talked out of parliament, when legislators realised there was an unseemly rush to bring through what was obviously, flawed legislation.

For centuries, the Church has spoken out on moral grounds and continues to do so. The reason for this is also in the Gospel today. Jesus said, ‘whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ There are certain things which the Church will never loose on earth and one of them is the sanctity of life. This is fundamental to Church teaching, the law or commandment to not kill, is central to our faith. We have no power to change that. St Augustine is attributed as saying ‘right is right, even if no-one is doing it, wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it.’

Next Friday 11th September sees the return of the Terminally Ill Adults Bill [End of Life], this time it is being introduced by Lauren Edwards MP, and is due to have its Second Reading. This is another opportunity for us to write to our MP and express our thoughts, The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children [SPUC] have information available on their website of how to contact our MP; I have placed the link below.

There is a message which gives us great comfort within today’s Gospel message. It is when Jesus said, ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.’ This message is so powerful and tells us that we are not alone. I first became aware of it as a teenager when I attended a Charismatic House Group at a small convent in the area I grew up in. That evening there were around a dozen of us and when that phrase was said, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Knowing Jesus is with us, accompanying us and inspiring us to always do better.

Our second reading, which has been taken from St Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us that the commandment to love our neighbour as our self is the fulfilment of the law. By challenging behaviours or intentions which are morally wrong we are loving our neighbour.

Our Scripture readings today sum up the greatest commandments; we are to love God and love our neighbour. These commandments should form our every action and knowing that Jesus is beside us while we try and live out these commandments is humbling and inspiring at the same time.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2055: the Decalogue summed up in one command to love
CCC 1443-1445: reconciliation with the Church
CCC 2842-2845: “as we forgive those who trespass against us”[1]

Fight the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – SPUC

Please accompany in your prayers

  • All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
  • Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
  • The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
  • The success of the forthcoming Alpha course which will take place in our Pastoral Area.
  • The rescue efforts in Nepal and Tibet following the flash floods.
  • Those working to defeat the Assisted Suicide Bill and for God to inspire MPs to vote against it.
  • Theodore, who will be baptised at St Michael’s this weekend.

Deacon Tony

5th September 2026

[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments