Liturgy

REFLECTION for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

…Some of us find it hard to name the God-given qualities we value most in our character. But the question does, in fact, cut to the heart of the second reading (St Paul’s letter to the Romans) and Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) for this weekend. 

‘You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.’

We cannot say in the same breath, ‘I hate myself, but I am a good Christian.’ For St Paul, love of self was not indulgent, but the cornerstone of our mission to love as Jesus loves us. Paul knew the difference between self-love and self-adoration. Our love of God is expressed in the healthy and appropriate esteem we have for ourselves. Put another way, we cannot love anyone else if we don’t love ourselves. If we have poor self-esteem then often we need others to fill up this gap in our self-love. Most relationships cannot sustain such a demand.

The Church has to take some responsibility for this state of affairs. We used to be taught that mortification and self-denial were good Christian virtues, and indeed they can be. When properly understood they are never opportunities for self-hatred. The sanest spiritual writers in our tradition saw these virtues as paths of closeness with God and service of our neighbour.

One such writer was St Ignatius of Loyola who in the Spiritual Exercises saw that it was precisely as sinners that God loves us. He saw that one of the greatest gifts the Lord can give us is when we see our sinfulness for what it is, but are not overwhelmed by it, and that we experience the power of God’s love for us who calls us to walk as children of the light.

Jesus in today’s Gospel attends to this destructive side of our human nature. Jesus teaches us that those who do not love their neighbour as they should are to be treated with dignity and respect and offered every opportunity to seek forgiveness until it is clear they can no longer be a part of the Christian family.

The challenge and hallmark of the Christian life is the way in which we live out God’s love and forgiveness. And, although the Christian community should be the last group to exclude anyone, even we have to have our boundaries. Sometimes this involves holding others to account for what they say and do, especially if they claim to be a follower of Christ. The love and forgiveness of God does not mean that ‘anything goes’. It is a love that calls for constant conversion. We can witness to it only to the degree that we have experienced it, from God, from others, and in the way we love and forgive ourselves.

© Richard Leonard SJ

The reflection for this Sunday is part of a longer homily by Jesuit priest, Fr Richard Leonard. Fr Richard Leonard SJ is the Director of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting, is a member of the Australian Catholic Media Council and is author of Preaching to the Converted, Paulist Press, New York, 2006.

Worldwide Churches celebrate the Season of Creation 1 September to 4 October.

Community Mass

The next Community Mass is on the last day of term - Friday 22 September. The Spring Equinox brings warmer, brighter mornings, and the gathering of our community in prayer is a great way to end a full term and begin the holidays.  The Mass will be prepared by students in Year 10 however all students, friends and families are always welcome!

Community Mass details:

• College Chapel
• Fridays in term time
• Starts: 8:00am and concludes 8:30am