Catholic TV Mass Online September 10, 2023: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Presider: Fr. John Puodziunas OFM Parish: Assumption BVM Province TEXT FROM THE HOMILY We began today's liturgy with where two or three are gathered you will find love. You will find life. And we hear in the gospel and there is God present. That sounds good. But there's something else when you get two or three together. There will always be disagreement. There will be fights, and arguments, disputes, people don't always agree. We find that in our own personal lives. We find that amongst family members, and between families, even amongst friends who have known each other for years between peers and workers, between nations. And even sadly in the church. Whenever you get some people together, there's an opportunity for disagreement and dispute. Inevitably. Some people like this state of existence. For some reason they find energy in the idea of conflict. But I think most of us have a desire for peace. Most of us desire resolution. Most of us seek to have reconciliation. Then there are those that say the gospel is never practical. Well today Jesus is quite practical. He gives us a way to get to that peace. A way to find resolution and to make reconciliation a reality. He says if you find yourself in a dispute a disagreement, then first go confront the wrong. Name it. Yes, say it. But do it individually. Go with the intent of resolving with grace and dignity preserved. It seems that Jesus here is speaking against gossip. Do it personally. Don't talk about it to everyone else but go and take care of business. But we know that doesn't always work. So Jesus gives us other options. He said, then grab a couple friends. Power in numbers and go and confront again. Confront the wrong. If that doesn't work, go tell the church. Get the whole church behind you. Could you imagine? The choirs singing coming into someone's house and having a gospel reading and it would be a wonderful scene! But even that might not work he said and if that doesn't work, then treat them as tax collectors and as gentiles. I'm sure the Pharisees and the Sadducees liked when they heard that, because you see I believe the Pharisees and the Sadducees were first to create what we call today the cancel culture. When you have that dispute there's no chance for reconciliation. You just write them off. And pretend they don't exist. But Jesus says treat them as the tax collector and the gentile. But how did Jesus treat them? He was always open to them. He allowed the tax collector and the gentile to step into his life. He allowed himself the grace to step into their lives. He never gave up. And the best of all, he went and he ate with them. As my grandmother taught me. It's about food. And food gets work done. Jesus understood that. He wasn't going to embrace this cancel culture mentality. He was about engagement, even when that dispute is difficult and long going. The adage is very simple. Name the wrong but embrace the wrongdoer. Hate the sin but love the sinner. Entrance: The Eyes and Hands of Christ © 2001, Tom Kendzia. Published by OCP. All rights reserved. Psalm 95: If Today You Hear His Voice Text © 1969, 1981, 1997, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Music © 2016, Ben Walther. Published by OCP. All rights reserved. Preparation: Loving and Forgiving Text: Based on Psalm 103:8, 1–2, 3–4, 8–10, 11–12. Text and music © 1992, OCP. All rights reserved. Communion: Make Our Lives a Prayer of Peace Text: Refrain based on a prayer of Pope Pius XII; adapt. by Paul Hillebrand. Text and music © 1991, Paul Hillebrand. Published by OCP. All rights reserved. Sending Forth: River of Glory © 1991, OCP. All rights reserved. Mass Setting: Mass of St. Ann Text: ICEL, © 2010 Music: Mass of Saint Ann, Ed Bolduc, © 2011, World Library Publications, a division of GIA Publications, Inc. Permission to podcast/stream the music in this liturgy obtained from ONE LICENSE, License No. A-718591. www.HeartoftheNation.org