Twenty Fourth Sunday of the Year (Year A)

Twenty Fourth Sunday of the Year 

September 13, 2026

Ecclesiastics 27:30-28:7   Romans 14:7-9   Matthew 18:21-35

(Image courtesy: Google)

Once two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a carpenter looking for a job.  The older brother said "I do have a job for you."  Showing his brother’s farm he said, Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer and has made a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me and I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Give me the material and I will do the needful."

The older brother had to go to town. The carpenter worked hard all day. About sunset when the farmer returned, his eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and, his younger brother was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."  The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and embraced each other.  

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.

That story beautifully captures the message of today's readings. Human beings are often experts at building walls. God calls us to build bridges. We build walls through anger, resentment, pride, unforgiveness, and silence. Christ invites us to build bridges through mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and reconciliation.

The first reading from Ecclesiasticus speaks very directly about anger and forgiveness. It asks us to remember that resentment and wrath are destructive. When we hold on to anger, we may think we are punishing the person who hurt us, but in reality, we are allowing the wound to remain alive within ourselves. The reading gives us a powerful reason to forgive: “Forgive your neighbour's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.”

There is a deep connection between receiving God's mercy and extending mercy to others. We cannot sincerely ask God to forgive our sins while deliberately refusing to forgive those who have hurt us.

The reading also reminds us that every human being is fragile. We are all sinners. We all make mistakes. If God were to treat us according to our failures alone, none of us could stand before Him. Therefore, the mercy we have received from God should become the mercy we offer to others.

St Paul, in the second reading, reminds us that “none of us lives for oneself.” Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. This changes the way we look at our relationships. We do not belong only to ourselves. Our lives are connected with one another. What we say and do affects others. Paul's words also place everything in the perspective of Christ. Christ died and rose again so that He might be Lord of both the living and the dead. If Christ is truly Lord of our lives, then our relationships must also come under His lordship.

Sometimes we carry an old conflict for years. We remember exactly what someone said, exactly what they did, and exactly how deeply they hurt us. We may even replay the incident repeatedly in our minds. But forgiveness does not mean pretending that nothing happened. It means refusing to allow what happened to control the rest of our lives. Forgiveness releases the other person into God's hands and frees our own heart from the prison of resentment.

The Gospel takes this message even deeper. Peter approaches Jesus and asks, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Peter probably thought seven times was already generous. Jesus responds, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Jesus is not giving us a mathematical calculation. He is telling us that forgiveness cannot be reduced to a limited number. The disciple of Jesus must develop a forgiving heart. Jesus then tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. A servant owes his master an enormous debt that he can never repay. The master has compassion and forgives the entire debt.

But that same servant later encounters another servant who owes him a much smaller amount. Instead of showing mercy, he demands payment and has the man thrown into prison. When the master hears what happened, he is deeply angered. The servant who received extraordinary mercy refused to extend even a small portion of that mercy to another. The contrast is the heart of the parable. We have been forgiven much, yet sometimes we find it difficult to forgive little. 

Every time we pray the Our Father, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Those words are not merely a prayer. They are a commitment. We are asking God to measure His forgiveness toward us by the mercy we are willing to show others.

There are three important life messages for us today.

First, do not allow resentment to become a permanent resident in your heart. Anger may begin with another person's action, but holding on to it can eventually damage our own peace.

Second, remember how much God has forgiven you. We approach God not as perfect people but as sinners who continually receive His mercy. Gratitude for God's forgiveness should make us more compassionate toward others.

Third, choose to build bridges rather than walls. Reconciliation may require courage, humility, and patience, but one step toward another person can sometimes heal years of separation.

As we conclude, let us return to the carpenter who was asked to build a wall. The farmer wanted a structure that would keep his brother out of his life. The carpenter understood something deeper. The farmer did not need another wall. He needed a bridge.

The Gospel tells us that forgiveness is God's bridge over the rivers of resentment that divide human hearts. Jesus does not ask us to forget every wound or deny every injustice. He asks us not to become prisoners of those wounds.

Perhaps there is a bridge we need to build today. Perhaps someone in our family needs a word of forgiveness. Perhaps a friendship has been broken by pride. Perhaps we need to take the first step toward someone from whom we have been separated for years.

The carpenter said, “I have many more bridges to build.” That is also the mission of every Christian. Wherever there is hatred, we are called to bring reconciliation. Wherever there is resentment, mercy. Wherever there is division, unity.

May Christ give us the grace to put down the tools with which we build walls and take up the tools with which we build bridges. For the greatest bridge we can ever build is the one that allows forgiveness to cross the distance between two wounded hearts.

Happy Sunday 

Twenty-Third Sunday of the Year (Year A)

Twenty-Third Sunday of the Year September 06, 2026

Ezekiel 33:7-9   Romans 13:8-10   Matthew 18:15-20

(Image courtesy: Google)

A young doctor was once working in a small rural hospital. One night, while examining patients, he noticed that an elderly man seemed unusually weak. The man's test results were not immediately alarming, but the doctor had a strong feeling that something was wrong. He asked a senior colleague to examine him again. The colleague looked at the results and said, “There is nothing serious. Let the man rest.”

The young doctor hesitated. He did not want to challenge someone more experienced. But something within him told him not to remain silent. He returned to the patient, ordered another test, and discovered that the man was suffering from a serious internal condition. Because the problem was identified early, the man received treatment and survived.

Later, the senior doctor told him, “You did the right thing. It would have been easier to remain silent, but sometimes caring for another person means having the courage to speak.”

The readings today invite us to reflect on this difficult but necessary dimension of love: the courage to care enough to speak, correct, forgive, and restore relationships.

In the first reading, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel. A watchman had a serious responsibility. He stood on the city walls and watched for danger. If an enemy approached, he had to sound the alarm. If he saw the danger and remained silent, he would be responsible for the consequences. God tells Ezekiel that he must warn people when they are moving in the wrong direction. This is not about judging or condemning others. It is about responsibility.

There are moments when silence is not kindness. If someone is harming himself or others, pretending that nothing is happening is not love. If a friend is making a destructive choice, genuine friendship may require a difficult conversation. But the spirit in which we speak matters. The purpose of correction must never be humiliation or revenge. It must be restoration.

St Paul makes this clear in the second reading. He says, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” He reminds us that all the commandments are summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love is therefore the foundation of Christian morality. We do not avoid harming others merely because rules tell us not to. We avoid harming them because they are persons created and loved by God. Paul says that love does no wrong to a neighbour. Therefore, even when we correct someone, our intention must remain love.

The Gospel gives us a practical method for dealing with conflict. Jesus says, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.”

Notice the first step. Jesus does not tell us to discuss the person's fault with everyone else. He says to go privately. How often do we do the opposite? Someone hurts us, and instead of speaking to the person, we tell others. We complain, gossip, seek supporters, and allow resentment to grow. Jesus offers another way. Speak directly, privately, honestly, and with love.

If the person listens, the relationship can be restored. If the person does not listen, Jesus suggests involving one or two others. The purpose is still reconciliation. This is an important lesson for us. Conflict is unavoidable wherever human beings live together. The question is not whether we will have disagreements. The question is how we will handle them.

Jesus does not tell us to ignore wrongdoing. Nor does He tell us to destroy the person who has hurt us. He teaches us to seek truth and reconciliation together. Then Jesus gives another beautiful promise: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

This means that Christian community is not simply a collection of individuals. Christ is present when people come together in His name, especially when they seek forgiveness, truth, reconciliation, and unity.

There are three important life messages for us today.

First, love sometimes requires courage. Caring for another person may mean having the courage to speak the truth instead of remaining comfortably silent.

Second, correct privately and forgive generously. Do not turn another person's weakness into gossip. Speak directly, seek reconciliation, and protect the dignity of the person.

Third, make Christ the centre of your relationships. When Christ is present in our families and communities, disagreement does not have to become division. His presence can transform conflict into an opportunity for understanding and reconciliation.

As we conclude, let us return to the story of the young doctor. It would have been easier for him to remain silent. He could have told himself, “The senior doctor knows better. It is not my responsibility.” But his concern for the patient gave him the courage to speak and act.

That is exactly the spirit of today's readings. Ezekiel is called to be a watchman because silence can sometimes allow danger to continue. Saint Paul reminds us that love must be the foundation of everything we do. Jesus teaches us how to correct one another without destroying one another.

True love is not simply saying pleasant things. Sometimes love has the courage to say, “Something is wrong, and I care enough to tell you.” But Christian correction must always have one purpose: to bring healing, not humiliation; reconciliation, not revenge; restoration, not rejection.

Perhaps there is someone with whom we need to have an honest conversation. Perhaps there is someone we have spoken about instead of speaking to. Perhaps there is a relationship waiting for forgiveness.

Today Christ invites us to take the first step. May we become people who speak truth with love, correct with humility, forgive generously, and build communities where Christ can truly say, “I am there among them.” 

Happy Sunday