The scripture of today’s mass speaks about Christian responsibility – our responsibility to live our lives according to God’s ways, and to encourage others to do the same.
In today’s Old Testament passage (Ezekiel 33:7-9) we hear God appointing the prophet Ezekiel as “watchman” over the people, responsible for instructing God’s people in God’s ways, and admonishing the people if they stray.
In today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) we hear Jesus appoint his disciples as watchmen for the newly established church. These disciples, like the prophet Ezekiel, are not only expected to live out their lives faithful to the ways of God, but to also shepherd others – to advise and instruct others in God’s ways and, if necessary, to admonish and correct. Above all, these disciples were called to encourage conversion when necessary and to extend forgiveness always.
And two thousand years later, it is the same for us.
God calls all of us, as one community, to Himself. Each of us is called, not only to live our lives in the way God desires and commands, but to also look after our brothers and sisters, to actively help others in their spiritual formation. We are called to encourage each other to live lives faithful to God. We are called to advise and instruct each other. We are called to extend forgiveness and grant second and third chances whenever necessary.
In his letter to the Romans (Romans 13:8-10), Paul reminds us that we are called to love each other – to “love your neighbor as yourself”. Both God’s instruction to Ezekiel, and Jesus’ instruction to his disciples shows us one of the ways that this love is manifest – in our active concern for the spiritual welfare of each other and how we help each other grow closer to God and achieve our ultimate destiny.
So we continue onward, embracing our God-given role as current-day prophets, witnesses to God’s love by way of our own loving actions. We go forward, as “watchmen” for each other, encouraging and helping each other to live our lives as God desires.