"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Back in 1967, as the halcyon free love days were ending, the Beatles gave the world, “All you need is love.” It wasn’t true and everybody knew it, although many people still hoped it might be possible if you really try hard. You might have to drop out of society, stop buying LP records, stop using hallucinogens, marijuana, cigarettes, and alcohol; and perhaps you should live with your boyfriend or girlfriend in an abandoned school bus somewhere in Alaska. Maybe, All you need is love.
In today’s second reading, from his Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul has finished comparing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Law of Moses. He has shown that Jesus, by his life, death, and resurrection, has fulfilled the “old law;” and that to observe the law as if Jesus had never been born is worse than foolish; it is counterproductive and futile. The old law, without grace, certainly leads to sin and death; and that principle is as real as the law of gravity; and just as fatal for those who ignore it. But faith in Jesus leads to life, hope, satisfaction, dignity, love, and eternal life. God’s promise is a rock, more reliable than rock music or the Rock of Gibraltar. You can build a house, a city, or a way of life on it.
You, son of man, I have appointed as watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, "and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,the wicked shall die for his guilt,but I will hold you responsible for his death.
And the Lord himself, in Saint Matthew’s gospel, spells out a process for dealing with wickedness within the community of faith. I should approach an individual who has sinned against me, and I should “tell him his fault.” This approach certainly requires courage, generosity, and patience; and the willingness to hear what the other has to say. If he agrees that his action was rude, selfish, or in some way sinful, he might apologize and, if necessary, make amends for what he has done.
I met a husband, a recovering alcoholic, who often apologized to his wife and then asked her, “How can I make it up to you?” Sometimes there was something he had to do for her, or for someone else; sometimes she was satisfied with the confession.
If he does not listen,take one or two others along with you,so that 'every fact may be establishedon 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.
Recently we have watched with sadness as a heretical group of reactionary Catholics excommunicated themselves from the Roman Catholic Church. Some of them are “Sedevacantists:” that is , people who believe the popes after Vatican II lost their authority because the council taught heresies. They think the papal seat is currently empty (sede vacante). Others are “Conclavists” who have gone further by electing their own pope. Several popes, including Pope Leo XIV have urged them not to do this to themselves and to Church, but they willfully broke with the Church, and must face the Supreme Judge with that on their conscience. (Very often, these people follow in the footsteps of the heretic Arius and seek reconciliation on their deathbed.)
The Prophet Ezekiel reminds us today that, when we see something seriously wrong – like abortion, adultery, or violent behavior – we have a serious obligation to warn of the danger. Loving your neighbor requires more than minding your own business.
If Wiley Coyote is about to fall over a cliff, or explode TNT in his face, we must take the risk and urge him to defuse the TNT and back away from the cliff. Failing that, we face the same punishment, although we did not commit abortion or adultery or violate anyone. Certainly we have suffered the consequences of adultery and abortion with the spread of violence, drug abuse, and suicide.
"...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 other words, to remain in God’s law and keep his commandment of love, it’s not enough just to keep your nose clean. Occasionally everyone of us has to take risks if we are to live the gospel.
I heard a grade school teacher say, “If I am not taking risk, I am not doing my job.” The same is true of every profession: of doctors, nurses, therapists, lawyers, and judges. Of middle managers and executives. It’s true of priests, deacons, and bishops, of preachers and teachers. Parents and children, siblings, uncles and aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces must also take risks for one another. We cannot always go along to get along. Sometimes we must speak up.
Studies of the Nazi Holocausts have shown how millions of people cooperated in the worst crime in human history; even the victims cooperated. At every step they took the safer, easier, more respectable choice. For that very reason, it is happening in America today as the federal government deports suspected immigrants.
Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. Mt 7:24-25
