Year A
Ezekiel 33:7-9.
Psalm 95:1-2.6-7abc.7d-9 (R. 7d,8a)
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20
Love Flowing From the Cross
On the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings led us to reflect on the Church. We realized that as members of the Church we are part of the body of Christ, a revelation that radically changed Paul on the road to Damascus when Jesus asked him why are you persecuting me (cf. Acts 9: 4). On the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings led us to reflect on the Papacy. We realized that when Jesus resurrected he asked Peter to feed and look after his Sheep because by giving him the name Peter which means rock, he built his Church on him and gave him authority to bind and loose in heaven and earth. On the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, we were given the opportunity to reflect on Sacrifice and hence the Cross.
We continue today on the Cross but this time we look at the love that flows from the Cross. Last week I showed that the vision of the temple Ezekiel had was the Cross. There is one important thing about that temple I did not talk about, and this is the living water that was flowing from the right side of the temple (cf. Ezekiel 47:1-12).
When Jesus was on the Cross, the gospel of John with strong witness tone tell us that Jesus's side was pierced and blood and water came out. Does it mean Jesus's blood and water are the living water, well the bible makes us understand the point in sacrificing animals, because the life is in the blood (cf. Leviticus 17:11).
While we are already told that God and the Lamb is the temple in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21: 22, In Revelation 22:1, we see that the living water or water of life flows from the throne of God. Here we see the Trinity, and the Holy Spirit is the water of life. So that which flows from the Cross is life.
Now in the first reading, God said he has made Ezekiel a watchman for the house of Israel; and he is to warn them to amend their wicked ways when he hears God's word from his mouth. But if he doesn't do it, and the wicked person dies in his sins, God will require his blood from him.
If the life is in the blood as according to Leviticus 17:11, then we who are saved are to be watchmen for God and warn the wicked to change his ways, otherwise his life will be required from us. If we fail to bring the Word of life to the wicked, it means we are not saved, If we have experienced the life that flows from the Cross, let us with love found in the Cross draw them to life flowing from the Cross.
St Paul tell us that Love fulfills the Law, in fact looking at the two woods that form the Cross, we see that one is vertical just as the first three commandments is about a vertical relationship, humans loving God, and the other is horizontal just as the rest of the seven is about a horizontal relationship, humans loving humans. The Holy Spirit is also associated with the Law, and he who is the Love existing between the Father and the Son and renews our hearts so that God's Law will be written on our hearts also flows with life from love upon us.
We are given basically four solutions to help the wicked or a brother who offends us. With these four solutions, we can show how we love our neighbors. The first is to solve it with him privately, if it does not work, the second is to get two or three witnesses to help, if that too does not work, the the third option is to send it to the Church and if it does not work, the last option is to treat him as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Love demands that we help our brother, if the problem is beyond us then we seek others to help and if is beyond them, then we seek the Church's help. But if is beyond the Church, there is God whom nothing can be beyond him and loving our neighbor at this stage will be to give him to God.
Remember Matthew also known as Levi was lost and it took Jesus to call him from that state (cf. Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:13-14). It is God who brought Salvation to all of us with the Cross, it only He who can give life to the tax collector and gentiles. In any dead like situation, invite him who is Love and Life. To treat a brother as a tax collector or Gentile is put him in God's hands.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
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