“Tell Him, for Heaven’s Sake” by Sam Miller

“Tell Him, for Heaven’s Sake” by Sam Miller

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time   

Thus, says the LORD: 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. (Ezekiel 33:7 ~ 9)

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Whatever other commandments there may be, saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” are summed up in this “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans13:9~10)

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, 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. 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.  Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:15~20

Piety

Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13: 4~8a)

Please, Lord, open my eyes, ears, and heart and teach me to see, hear and love like You all ways!!  Amen

Study

There’s been a time when I would have said that these readings were right up my alley because all I understood was that I WAS, under penalty of blood on my hands, supposed to correct my “fellow believer” of the wrong I saw him/her/them do!!!  In modern parlance, I had a “license to kill,” a la 007!  The “but” comes into play when I consider I have three fingers pointing back at me when I point the single, loaded finger at him/her/them!!

The “key” is LOVE, and I do not mean my love. I’m referring to God’s LOVE, never-ending, never withheld, never unforgiving!!  Who am I?  God knows, and God will speak specifically and directly to me when He needs me to warn someone!!

This footnote to Matthew 18:20 states, “For where two or three…midst of them: the presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of the prayer. This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in AD 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: “…When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them” (Pirqê ’Abôt 3, 3).”, by me is so enlightening!  I’d interpret it as “Where two believers, or more, are gathered in the name of the Word, the Son of God, Jesus, He IS there in the midst and in agreement with the petition being submitted to the Father and we MUST believe that it WILL be granted, in Jesus’ name!!”  AMEN!!!!

Action

Grant Lord that I may hear Your voice and speak Your words and NOT get ahead of YOU and Your message!  Help me to labor in Your LOVE when directed and practice to do so always!! Please help me to listen twice before speaking once!  May I live the truth of “Your will be done”!!!!  Amen.