23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

INTRO:

There were a bunch of guys having an OUTDOOR B-B-Q and it continued into the night…….and got a little noisy.

At one point…out of the darkness, appeared a man clothed in pajamas and slippers.

He introduced himself politely as “the neighbor from across the street” and asked if the group could…… “TONE IT DOWN A BIT” as he was having trouble…. getting to sleep.

The guys APOLOGIZED and agreed to be quiet!

The man walked back into his home!
Interesting for that “gentle neighbor” to do as he did, as he could have:
Hollered out his window.
Called the police.
BUT
INSTEAD
“He came in person.”
Quietly and peacefully
To ask the group to keep the noise down……

People are dealing “in person” less and less these days.

We are using TEXTS
EMAILS
FACEBOOK and so many other ways.

Many times, these forms of FACELESS COMMUNICATIONS are getting across hostile words and comments with those who have offended us or have different opinions on “things.” Many feel it is safer to “speak” this way and say anything they want.

The Christians for whom MATTHEW writes about in our Gospel must have needed encouragement to PERSONALLY – FACE TO FACE handle in a charitable and constructive manner wrongful behaviors.

Bickering was going on between people.

1. Many times, it was the bickering of the TWELVE….
“Who’s going to sit on Jesus’s right or left?”

2. Then there were bickering “factions” between….
Jew/Gentile
Scribe/Pharisee
Samaritan/Lepers

3. And today there is rude and unkind bickering between races, between political parties, and between many of us with hard-nosed sentiments.

Again, I have said it before; JESUS was about UNITY, HARMONY, and bringing all people together for his kingdom here on earth.

Jesus was about building a CHARITABLE character in his Apostles and in US.

We are supposed to be charitable and kind to ALL in our thoughts, words, and deeds.

CONCLUSION

TEXTS, FACEBOOK, and EMAILS are for efficiency … YES, but let us work on more face-to-face KIND WORDS WITH OTHERS.