Posted by The WORD in Other Words by Fr Rodrigo Salac SVD (Philippines)
Monday 12th Week in Ordinary Time
I had a friend who died not many years ago. One day, he was not feeling well so he went to see his doctor for a checkup. After a series of tests, the doctor told my friend: “You are a certified diabetic. You should stop drinking sweet drinks, stop eating ice cream, lessen intake of rice and take these medicines every day. Don’t miss.” My friend thanked the doctor. He consulted another doctor for a friendly prescription but got the same. He did not mind the prescriptions and succumbed to heart attack.
In the First Reading today, Yahweh’s judgment came as a punishment to Israel’s unfaithfulness. The prophets warned the leaders of Israel to be faithful to the covenant. They heard the warning but they would not listen. They persecuted the prophets instead. They were punished.
There are many verses in the Bible that task us to make fraternal corrections: Mt 18:15-16 (Jesus said: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault…”); Jas 5:19 (“…let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death…”); Lev 19:17 instructs us that to refuse to correct a sinning neighbor is a form of hatred; Col 3:16 says: “…Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.”; 2 Tim 3:16 says: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction…”; etc.
The Gospel today shows the proper way for fraternal correction: Make sure that if we correct anyone’s fault we must be clean of the same. And most of all, if we receive corrections for our wrong doings, we had better listen and heed, or the wrath of God will fall on us.
Source – Bible Diary 2020
