Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

DEALING WITH THE UNREPENTANT

20260812 DEALING WITH THE UNREPENTANT

12 August 2026, Wednesday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Ezekiel 9:1-7,10:18-22

The cross marks the foreheads of all who are pure

As I, Ezekiel, listened, God shouted, ‘Come here, you scourges of the city, and bring your weapons of destruction.’ Immediately six men advanced from the upper north gate, each holding a deadly weapon. In the middle of them was a man in white, with a scribe’s ink horn in his belt. They came in and halted in front of the bronze altar. The glory of the God of Israel rose off the cherubs where it had been and went up to the threshold of the Temple. He called the man in white with a scribe’s ink horn in his belt and said, ‘Go all through the city, all through Jerusalem, and mark a cross on the foreheads of all who deplore and disapprove of all the filth practised in it.’ I heard him say to the others, ‘Follow him through the city, and strike. Show neither pity nor mercy; old men, young men, virgins, children, women, kill and exterminate them all. But do not touch anyone with a cross on his forehead. Begin at my sanctuary.’ So they began with the old men in front of the Temple. He said to them, ‘Defile the Temple; fill the courts with corpses, and go.’ They went out and hacked their way through the city.

The glory of the Lord came out from the Temple threshold and paused over the cherubs. The cherubs spread their wings and rose from the ground to leave, and as I watched the wheels rose with them. They paused at the entrance to the east gate of the Temple of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. This was the creature that I had seen supporting the God of Israel beside the river Chebar, and I was now certain that these were cherubs. Each had four faces and four wings and what seemed to be human hands under their wings. Their faces were just as I had seen them beside the river Chebar. Each moved straight forward.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 112(113):1-6

Above the heavens is the glory of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Praise, O servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord!

May the name of the Lord be blessed

both now and for evermore!

Above the heavens is the glory of the Lord.

Alleluia!

From the rising of the sun to its setting

praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord,

above the heavens his glory.

Above the heavens is the glory of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Who is like the Lord, our God,

who has risen on high to his throne

yet stoops from the heights to look down,

to look down upon heaven and earth?

Above the heavens is the glory of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps110:7,8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your precepts, O Lord, are all of them sure;

they stand firm for ever and ever.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 18:15-20

If your brother listens to you, you have won back your brother

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’

12 August 2026, Wednesday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time

DEALING WITH THE UNREPENTANT

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EZEKIEL 9:1-7, 10:18-22; MATTHEW 18:15-20]

In spite of the infidelity of Israel to the Lord and the exile of the people of Judah to Babylon, Ezekiel’s message is meant to offer hope to those in exile. They should not despair, because God will purify the city of Jerusalem. God will send His angels to punish those who disobey Him. Only those marked with the cross on their forehead, presumably the Hebrew letter taw (t)–meaning “not this one”–will be saved, drawing a clear parallel to the blood placed on the doorposts of the Hebrews during the Exodus from Egypt. Finally, God departs from the Temple, as the prophet observes: “The glory of the Lord came out from the Temple threshold and paused over the cherubs. The cherubs spread their wings and rose from the ground to leave, and as I watched, the wheels rose with them.” However, the departure of God’s glory from Jerusalem is only temporary; He will return when the people of Israel repent.

This same call to repentance remains deeply relevant to the Christian community, who have supposedly received Christ. Saint Matthew wrote specifically for his own Christian community. Even though Christ is present in the Christian community and in every Christian family, human beings–being ignorant, weak in virtue, coming from diverse backgrounds, and holding different perspectives–will inevitably experience disagreements and misunderstandings. While we cannot be entirely sure where Matthew derived this process of reconciliation, a similar approach is also found in the Community Rule of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran.

What must be underscored about this process of addressing an unrepentant sinner is that Christ is always present in His community.Therefore, the drive toward reconciliation is rooted in the mandate that the Christian community must always reflect the divine presence of the Lord. This is precisely why the entire process culminates in prayer: “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” The process described by Matthew should not be viewed as a mere juridical process, but as an act carried out in a prayerful spirit under the Lordship of Christ. For this reason, we must tirelessly strive to reconcile errant members with the community. Even if a situation ends without immediate reconciliation, we must never give up hope, because immediately following today’s passage on reproving a sinner, Jesus instructs Peter that we must always forgive: “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times” (Mt 18:22).

The first stage in reconciling a brother or sister who has done wrong is to speak with them privately. Jesus instructs His disciples: “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.” When we hold grievances or feel wronged, it is vital to express our feelings with charity, seeking clarification rather than hurling accusations. When we bottle up these matters, anger and resentment fester, poisoning our minds and wounding our hearts so deeply that we can no longer listen to or empathise with the other person.

This approach calls for a personal dialogue–not emails or letters, which often cause further misunderstanding. Worst of all is escalating a complaint to authority without first speaking directly to the person involved. Bypassing personal dialogue to report someone to leadership damages trust, breeds anger, and virtually seals off any chance of genuine reconciliation. Direct dialogue allows both parties to clarify the situation while offering the errant member a path to repentance without public embarrassment. Public admonition should never occur except under the most exceptional and severe circumstances.

If this initial attempt at correction is rejected or disputed and reconciliation fails, we must bring one or two wise individuals to help mediate. At this stage, it is necessary to establish facts so that the charge is sustained and supported. Requiring two witnesses reflects standard biblical and judicial procedure (cf. 2 Cor 13:1-2; 1 Tim 5:19ff). However, gathering evidence is not meant to condemn or prove someone wrong out of spite; rather, it serves the process of reconciliation, as many conflicts stem simply from missing facts or misunderstandings. As the Lord says: “If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge.”

If mediation also fails, the Christian community must ultimately dissociate itself from the member who refuses to repent. This drastic measure impresses upon both the sinner and outsiders that one cannot presume salvation while persisting in unrepentant sin. Excommunication is enacted to convey the gravity of the offence. The Lord counsels that the community, as the Body of Christ, must act to protect itself lest the sin cause greater scandal and loss of faith. Indeed, self-professed Christians who persist in evil and falsehood bring shame upon the Body of Christ unless the Church publicly repudiates their actions (cf. 1 Cor 5:5; 1 Tim 1:20; Tit 3:10-11).

This authority is entrusted to the Christian community to act in the name of Christ: “If he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector. I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” Yet, we must never view excommunication as a permanent or definitive rejection, but rather as a medicine meant to awaken the person to repentance. Giving up on an errant member is never an option. Excommunication is strictly a last resort when all else fails, carried out in the constant hope that the individual will eventually come to their senses and seek restoration.

Before resorting to such a radical step, we must pray rather than act rashly. We must discern God’s will for the sinner and for the greater good of the Church. Hence, we are called to pray in unity: “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” We must seek the Lord’s will and never take excommunication lightly, for our goal is to save every soul–especially those who have strayed from the truth. A lack of unity in decision-making indicates that the leadership is not yet ready to act and must wait until a consensus emerges.

Legalism cannot solve problems. It is in Christian prayer and Christian love that reconciliation can take place. When true love, care, and concern are present, our hearts and minds open to receive correction. Love alone can win over our adversaries, and nothing is more powerful in love than intercessory prayer. True prayer seeks the well-being of the other rather than selfish ends; when we pray for one another, our hearts are unlocked to both the Lord and our neighbour.

Conversely, those harbouring vindictiveness should not participate in this decision-making process, as human anger does not come from the Lord. As Saint James advises: “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls” (Jas 1:19-21).

We must never forget that we act in the name of our Lord; therefore, everything we do must align with Him. In every decision, we must remain conscious of Christ’s presence among us, recognising that our actions either bear witness or counter-witness to His Gospel. In the final analysis, our duty is to keep praying, hoping, and striving for reconciliation and forgiveness.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.

Monday, 10 August 2026

THE TASKS OF A TRUE PROPHET

20260811 THE TASKS OF A TRUE PROPHET

11 August 2026, Tuesday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Ezekiel 2:8-3:4

He gave me the scroll to eat and it was as sweet as honey

I, Ezekiel, heard a voice speaking. It said, ‘You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel like that rebellious set. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.’ I looked. A hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written on back and front; on it was written ‘lamentations, wailings, moanings.’ He said, ‘Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel.’ I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, ‘Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you.’ I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey.

Then he said, ‘Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 118(119):14,24,72,103,111,131

Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.

I rejoiced to do your will

as though all riches were mine.

Your will is my delight;

your statutes are my counsellors.

Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.

The law from your mouth means more to me

than silver and gold.

Your promise is sweeter to my taste

than honey in the mouth.

Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.

Your will is my heritage for ever,

the joy of my heart.

I open my mouth and I sigh

as I yearn for your commands.

Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14

Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me

The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

‘See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.

‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’

THE TASKS OF A TRUE PROPHET

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EZEKIEL 2:8-3:4; MATTHEW 18:1-5,10,12-14]

In the Gospel, we see the heart of God revealed through the teaching of Christ. Firstly, He speaks of welcoming children into our lives. He told the disciples, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.”

Who are these children that Jesus speaks about? In the first place, He refers to a child young in age. To welcome a child is to give them the care, love, and attention that we usually give to someone of importance in society. Very often, even within the church–especially at liturgical services–some parishioners tend to consider children a nuisance rather than good news. We pay attention to those with status, but the truth is that a young child, although having not yet earned his place in the world, is, in the eyes of God, as important as anyone else. This is why we cannot measure people in terms of what we can get out of them, but rather by how we can share our lives with one another. This is the true meaning of friendship. When self-interest becomes the bottom line of our relationships, they become transactional, and we will never experience the true meaning of love.

In the second place, “children” refers to anyone who has not yet reached emotional and spiritual maturity, regardless of their age. In this instance, to welcome a child is to embrace people who are childish, rather than child-like. They may be proud, arrogant, disobedient, and restless. Yet, we are called to welcome them too, because they are still the children of God–albeit unruly ones. God loves them all the same and seeks their conversion and well-being. This is why Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep: the good shepherd leaves the ninety-nine safe sheep behind to search for the lost one until he finds it. This is the height of unselfish love–not being focused on oneself and one’s interests, but being solely directed toward the greater good of others, especially those who most need help.

This is also a warning to the disciples. The apostles were tempted to serve Jesus for self-interest, glory, power, and recognition–temptations that remain present among us today, including among religious leaders. We are often more concerned about our success, achievements, popularity, and acceptance than about truly serving people. Even in serving Christ and the Gospel, we can be subtly motivated by self-interest. This explains why, in many churches, we place efficiency and order before the sensitivities and needs of our people, especially those who are weak or have special needs. We tend to be harsh and judgemental, even excluding them from worship and community simply because they do not comply with our “rules.”

Therefore, we need a change of values. Jesus teaches us the exact values we should adopt: “He called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'” We are called to cultivate a child-like attitude of innocence, a sense of wonder, trust, and humility before God–acknowledging that He knows everything and that we can depend on Him completely. We must recognise our own deficiencies and our total dependence on Him, as well as our mutual dependence on one another. This calls for humility and a willingness to learn and receive. It requires the sensitivity and generosity to “become little”–that is, to enter into the situation of those who are still immature, struggling in their faith, or falling into sin, temptation, relational strife, or poor self-discipline. Rather than condemning them, we must seek to identify with them and feel with them in their struggles so that we can encourage them and give them hope.

This is our mission as God’s prophets, as the First Reading instructs us: we are called to speak God’s word to them. Prophets are sent to speak God’s words, not their own. Whether it was Moses or the prophets who followed, they were commissioned to speak the word of God. For us to do this faithfully, without substituting our own ideas and ideology, we must be deeply grounded in the Word of God. We read how Jeremiah welcomed God’s message: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name” (Jer 15:16). Like Ezekiel, we are called to listen to the Word of God and assimilate what He has to say to us.

Listening to the Word of God means being attentive to all that He tells us. We cannot pick and choose what we like to hear and reject what makes us uncomfortable. God told Ezekiel, “You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel like that rebellious set. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.” Ezekiel saw that “a hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written on back and front; on it was written ‘lamentations, wailings, moanings.’ He said, ‘Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll.'” This aligns with what St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers” (1 Thess 2:13).

Having received the Word, we must now proclaim it in its entirety–not selectively. God instructed Ezekiel: “‘Go and speak to the House of Israel.’ I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, ‘Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you.’ I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey. Then he said, ‘Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.'” St. Paul similarly advised Timothy: “I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully” (2 Tim 4:1-5).

Consequently, as disciples of Christ, we must be ready to suffer for the Word of God. Having received it with joy, we are obliged to share it with others–even those who reject us, just as Ezekiel and Jeremiah experienced. We receive the Word of God, which tastes like honey, but when we proclaim it, it can feel sour because we are rejected by those whose self-interests are compromised or challenged. Indeed, this is inevitable for ambassadors of the Gospel because we are often given a challenging message for a culture that is indifferent or hostile. In these moments, we may be tempted to alter the message to suit our audience. But if we do, we cease to be faithful to the Word we received. We have no authority to change the message; God instructed Ezekiel that he must speak the exact word given to him, even when it contained “lamentations, wailings, and moanings.”

Ultimately, prophets must listen carefully to all of God’s words and take them to heart. Otherwise, we speak without conviction and fail to proclaim what God truly desires. We become untrue to ourselves and to the God who calls us. Before we speak, we must let the Word of God dwell richly within us so that we can instruct each other in wisdom, as St. Paul exhorts: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:16-17). Truly, the best way to be faithful to God and to those to whom we are sent is to consume the Word of God, taste it as Ezekiel did, and be deeply convinced of the sweetness and truth of God’s Word.

Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections

Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.

Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.