27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. October 4, 2026

 

27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. October 4, 2026

Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43

 

Theme: God Expects Us to Bear Fruit That Will Last

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 21:33-43

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage is the second of three parables that Matthew presents consecutively in the context of controversies between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders (Mt 21:23–22:46). In all three parables, Jesus warns that the Jews may miss the kingdom of heaven if they continue to reject him. He praises Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes, and all sinners for repenting and believing in him. Our text immediately follows the parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32) and precedes the parable of the Wedding Feast (22:1-14).

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel narrative includes a parable. It is structured in two movements. The first movement emphasizes the mistreatment of the landowner’s servants by the tenants (33-39), and the second movement reveals the lesson the parable teaches the Jewish religious leaders (vv. 40-43).

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 33-39. God, the landowner, created (planted) Israel, the vineyard, and cared for it (v. 33). He then entrusted its care to the Jewish religious leaders, the tenants. Afterward, God sent his various prophets (servants) to assess how the Jewish religious leaders were guiding the people of Israel in the way of God. The Jewish religious leaders beat some prophets, stoned others, and killed some. Again, God sent other prophets, more numerous than the first, but the Jewish religious leaders treated them the same way. Finally, God decided to send Jesus, his only Son, believing they would respect him (v. 37). In Jewish culture during Jesus’ time, if a Jewish proselyte died without an heir, the tenants would have a final claim on the inheritance.^[1] That is why, in this parable, by killing God’s heir (anticipating Jesus' Death), the Jewish religious leaders intended to acquire the inheritance and become like God (vv. 38-39).

Vv. 40-43. In answering Jesus’ question here, the Jewish religious leaders condemn themselves (vv. 40-41), just as they did in the previous parable (see 21:31). Then Jesus reminds them of Psalm 118, which he applies to himself. He is the stone the builders rejected, now the cornerstone of the Church. Jesus concludes this passage with a warning. If the Jewish religious leaders continue to reject Jesus (see 21:23-27), God’s kingdom will be taken away from them and given to those who produce the fruits of their faith in Jesus (v. 43).

  

4. Synthesis

The parable recounts how God created Israel and entrusted its care to the Jewish religious leaders. However, these leaders mistreated and killed the prophets, including God’s Son, foreshadowing Jesus’ Death. Quoting Psalm 118 and applying it to himself, Jesus affirms that he is the stone the builders (the Jewish religious leaders) rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Here, Jesus foretells his Resurrection and how he will sustain his Church. Jesus ends the parable with a warning, telling the Jewish religious leaders that because they questioned his authority, the kingdom of God is being taken away from them and given to the people (such as the tax collectors, prostitutes, and all sinners) who repent and believe in him. 

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

We begin the month of October, dedicated to devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Church encourages us to ask our Blessed Mother to intercede with her Son, Jesus, at all times. Both the first reading and the Gospel use the “vineyard” as a metaphor for the people of Israel and, by extension, for all believers, including us today. In the first reading, God blames the people in general, and in the Gospel, Jesus criticizes the leaders for failing to produce good fruit, which represents faith in God and Jesus. God expects all of us, both ordinary people and leaders, to bear the fruits of faith in him that endure. To achieve this, in our second reading, Saint Paul exhorts us to think about and do what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, and anything excellent and worthy of praise, and to imitate him.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

From the Gospel and the first reading, our Holy Mother Church invites us to reflect on our distinct missions as “tenants” (leaders), “servants” (prophets), and “vineyard” (God’s people). The key to determining whether we are successful in our missions is whether we produce good fruit, which represents the results of ministries and faith in God.

First, God has entrusted us, as leaders, with people to care for: children to their parents, parents to their children, students to their teachers, the sick to hospital caregivers, citizens to their government, and the faithful to Church leaders, among others. We are “tenants” to one another. Unlike the tenants in our parable, we are called to treat everyone with dignity. God expects us to produce “good fruit” of love, happiness, joy, and faith among us.

Second, as God’s servants (prophets), we may be rejected, criticized, discouraged, and even persecuted, as we heard in our parable. This is how the devil operates to hinder God’s mission. The devil’s goal is to keep people from being evangelized so they may not be saved on the last day. We are called to be courageous prophets, willing to sacrifice ourselves for the salvation of our brothers and sisters in our Church communities, families, and wherever we live.

Third, we are also “God’s vineyard” (God’s people). In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah addresses Israel’s infidelity to God through a song. Its allegory suggests that Isaiah’s friend represents God, the vineyard symbolizes ancient Israel and, by extension, all of us today, the Israel of the New Covenant. The fertile hillside refers to our society, families, Church communities, and all the places we inhabit. The choicest vines illustrate the desire God has placed in our hearts to know, love, and follow him. The crop of grapes signifies virtues, while rotten grapes represent wickedness, acts of violence, and various sins. God expects us to produce good fruit, such as attending Mass (especially on Sundays), loving, helping, and serving the people in our communities. 

Both the Gospel and the first readings end with a warning. If we continue not to bear good fruit in our mission, Isaiah prophesies that God will make us ruined, and Jesus says that the kingdom of God will be taken away from us. This punishment points to the eternal condemnation that will occur at the end of time during the last judgment. This is a frightening warning. However, in our second reading, Saint Paul calls us to have no anxiety at all, but to make our requests known to God through prayer, petition, and thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). To bear the good fruits that God expects from us, Saint Paul urges us to think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, and anything excellent and worthy of praise (v. 8), and to imitate his example (v. 9).

In the liturgy of this Mass, let us ask for God’s grace so that we may be the “good tenants,” “obedient servants,” and the “fruitful vineyard” that always do God’s will by loving and serving his people and the Church. As we are in October, the month dedicated to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us ask our Blessed Mother to intercede on our behalf. Amen. 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

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[1] NABRE, note to Mt 21:38.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – Sept. 27, 2026

 

26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – Sept. 27, 2026

Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32

 

Theme: Individual Responsibility to Repent and Maintain One’s Relationship with God

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 21:28-32

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel parable is the first of three that Matthew presents in succession within the context of controversies between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders (Mt 21:23–22:46). It began when the Jewish religious leaders questioned Jesus' authority (21:23-27). In response, Jesus told them three parables in succession: the parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32), the parable of the Tenants (21:33-46), and the parable of the Wedding Feast (22:1-14). Through these parables, Jesus revealed that because they failed to believe in him, the kingdom of heaven was being taken away from them and given to the Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners who believed in him and repented. In response, the Jewish religious leaders plotted to eliminate Jesus, whom they now viewed as a threat to their power. Subsequently, Matthew presented a series of three trapping questions (22:15-22; 23-33; and 34-40) that they posed to Jesus, intending either to embarrass him in public among the Jewish community or to gather legal evidence to accuse him and have him arrested and condemned by the Roman authorities. We will meditate on these three parables and two of the three trapping questions in the Gospels over the next five Sundays.

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel passage is a narrative with a parable. It is structured into two movements. Jesus first tells the parable (vv. 28-30) and then interprets it with an exhortation (vv. 31-32).           

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 28-30. The man represents God, and the vineyard symbolizes the kingdom of heaven on earth. The first son, who initially refused to work in the vineyard but later accepted, represents the outcasts (Gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes, and all sinners). They initially rejected God’s call but later, through Jesus' preaching, repented and embraced the opportunity to work in God’s kingdom. They echo Ez 18:27: “But if the wicked turn from the wickedness they did and do what is right and just, they save their lives.” (NABRE). The second son, who initially accepted the work in the vineyard but later refused, represents the Jewish religious leaders. They initially accepted their status as God’s chosen people but later turned away from God by not believing in Jesus. They recall Ez 18:26: “When the just turn away from justice to do evil and die, on account of the evil they did they must die.” (NABRE).

Vv. 31-32. Jesus asked the Jewish religious leaders to tell him which of the two sons did their father’s will. In their correct answer, “the first,” the Jewish religious leaders condemned themselves. Then Jesus interpreted the parable for them, contrasting their lack of faith with the outstanding faith of the sinners who repent and enter the kingdom of heaven, while the Jewish religious leaders remain unrepentant.

 

4. Synthesis

Through the parable of the Two Sons, Jesus tells the Jewish religious leaders that they, who initially said yes to God’s call, now turn away from him by failing to believe in Jesus. In contrast, the outcasts who once rejected God’s call now believe in him and repent. Consequently, the outcasts enter the kingdom of heaven ahead of the Jewish religious leaders.  

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

Today, we close September, the month of the Bible. The Church encourages us to regularly read, listen to, study, share, and pray with the Word of God. Today’s Gospel and first readings remind us that everyone is responsible for repenting and maintaining a relationship with God to be saved. To do this, we need to imitate Jesus' humility (second reading).

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

In our Gospel, Jesus addresses the Jews who believe they do not need to repent because they are the “chosen people.” Similarly, many Christians today think they do not need to repent to be saved because they are already baptized. Many others believe they will be saved through the faith of their parents or children. The Prophet Ezekiel addresses this issue in our first reading.

It is necessary to analyze the entire Chapter 18 to understand the background of our first reading passage. In this chapter, Ezekiel addresses individual responsibility. The people used the proverb, “Parents eat sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2), to imply that their current suffering is a divine punishment for sins committed not by themselves but by their parents in past generations. Ezekiel clarified that this saying is false: “… the life of the parent is like the life of the child… Only the one who sins shall die!” (vv. 3-4, NABRE). He explains this through different scenarios. In the first scenario, if a righteous parent begets a wicked son, the parent will live because he does what is right, but the son will die because of his sins (vv. 5-13). In the second scenario, if a wicked parent begets a righteous son, the parent will die for his wickedness, and the son will live for his righteousness (vv. 14-18). In the third scenario, if a wicked person repents, he will be rewarded with life; if a righteous person turns from righteousness to wickedness, he will be punished with death (vv. 21-24). Ezekiel’s listeners do not want to accept that each person is judged for his or her own sins or merits and that wicked people can escape destruction. They rebel against Ezekiel and God when they say, “The Lord’s way is not fair!” (v. 25). Our first reading passage starts here.

Ezekiel emphasizes two categories of people in this reading. The first category comprises the wicked who repent. They correspond to the first son in our Gospel’s parable, representing the outcasts (tax collectors, prostitutes, and all sinners) during Jesus’ time. The second category in our first reading is the righteous who turn away from God. These individuals correspond to the second son in our Gospel’s parable, who represents the Jews of Jesus’ time. They initially said yes to God’s call because they were the “chosen people,” but later failed to maintain their relationship with God because they did not believe in Jesus.

Through our Gospel and first reading, the Church wants us to understand that salvation is not merely an inheritance passed down through generations. Everyone is responsible for their own eternal salvation or condemnation. Furthermore, claiming baptism is not sufficient for salvation. We are called to regularly repent and nurture our relationship with God and with one another in our Church community, in our families, and wherever we live. This is what Saint Paul teaches us in our second reading. He encourages each of us to pursue unity in a spirit of humility.

Paul says that we Christians must pursue unity because we belong to Christ and participate in the Spirit; we consider ourselves sharers in the “same mind” and “the same love” that flow from Christ (vv. 1-2). Our unity will be most clearly displayed when we reject any form of selfishness and regard our brothers and sisters as more important than ourselves (vv. 3-4). Then Paul presents the humility of Jesus in an early Christian hymn (vv. 6-11) as an example to follow. We can note two phases of Christ’s humility: First, he chose not to grasp his divine nature but to become as lowly as a slave in human likeness (vv. 6-7). Second, his humility extends to the cross, where he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (v. 8). His humility results in the exaltation and privilege he has received from God (vv. 9-11). This same exaltation awaits all believers who imitate the humility of Christ. So let us imitate Jesus’ humility to inherit the kingdom of heaven.

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us to repent regularly of our sins and to maintain our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters in humility, as Jesus did. Amen.

 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - September 20, 2026

 

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A - September 20, 2026

Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a; Matthew 20:1-16a

 

Theme: Eternal Salvation is not a Reward Earned but a Gift from God

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 20:1-16a

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Immediately before today’s parable, Peter asked Jesus what their reward would be, since they had left everything and followed him. In his answer, Jesus told them they would receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life (19:27-30). Then, through our parable, Jesus clarified that this reward does not make the disciples more privileged than others, because all believers, including those who will follow him in the future, will be treated equally in the kingdom of heaven. After this parable, Matthew recounts the third prediction of Jesus’ Passion, the request of James and John’s mother (20:17-28), and the healing of two blind men (20:29-34). 

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel parable, v. 1, serves as an introduction, and v. 16 as a conclusion. The parable itself is divided into two phases: the time for hiring (vv. 2-7) and the time for payment (vv. 8-15).           

 

3. Detailed Analysis

V. 1. Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven not to the vineyard, as he usually does, but to the landowner. In the Old Testament, the landowner represents God, the vineyard symbolizes Israel, the laborers stand for the prophets, and the hiring signifies the calling. However, in the New Testament, Jesus is the landowner, the Church he established is the vineyard, and the disciples and believers are the laborers.

Vv. 2-7. The different times (dawn, nine, noon, three, and five o’clock) symbolize the moments when Jesus called and continues to call Christians to work in his Church. The standard daily wage alludes to the reward of inheriting the kingdom of heaven. The first laborers he hired at dawn represent the disciples, followed by the Gentiles and sinners. Those hired at the end of the day (five o’clock) symbolize all who continue to join the Church of Jesus.

Vv. 8-15. The time for payment (the evening) refers to the end of the age. Jesus rewards all believers equally in the kingdom of heaven, regardless of how long they have followed Christ. The grumbling of the first-hired workers against the landowner (vv. 10-11) echoes Peter's question in 19:27. Jesus’ answer in vv. 13-15 clarifies what he had previously said to Peter in 19:29. Everyone who believes in him, follows him, and serves him is treated equally and justly in the kingdom of heaven.

V. 16. Jesus repeats the conclusion of the previous story (19:16-30) but in reverse order. “The last will be the first, and the first will be the last” means that all Christians who respond to Jesus’ call at any time (Jesus’ time, the early Church, our era, or after our era) will be rewarded equally in the kingdom of heaven, because eternal salvation is not a reward earned but a gift from God.   

 

4. Synthesis

In this parable, Jesus clarifies two points. First, he is the one who calls believers to work in his Church, and he calls them at different times. Second, he treats everyone equally and justly in the kingdom of heaven, regardless of how long and hard each person works in his Church, because eternal salvation in heaven is not a reward earned but a gift from God.      

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

Today is the third Sunday of the Month of the Bible Celebration. The Church encourages us to read, share, study, and pray with the Word of God regularly. Today’s Scripture readings address our eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven. In the first and second readings, Isaiah and Saint Paul, respectively, urge us to seek God and to conduct ourselves according to his Word. Then, in the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that eternal salvation in heaven is not a reward we deserve but a gift from God.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

The Church teaches that in heaven we will all be treated equally and justly, regardless of how long and hard we work in our mission. Therefore, we should not act like first-class Christians and look down on others as “second-hand Christians.” Being baptized many years ago, perhaps by a bishop or a well-known priest, does not make us more special than others. Bishops, priests, deacons, nuns, and all religious brothers and sisters cannot claim they will be treated differently in heaven than laypeople. Lay pastoral ministers should not expect privileged places in heaven for themselves compared to regular parishioners. We who have repented and are working in Jesus’ “vineyard” now cannot expect to receive more special rewards in heaven than the sinners who will repent and serve Jesus in the future. God treats everyone equally and justly. 

The main point of this parable is not to discourage Christians who are involved in the Church and have been living out their faith for a long time. The fact that the late and first workers are saved in the same way does not mean we should stop working hard and wait until the last moment of our lives to repent. Jesus needs people like you and me now to work in his Church and to manifest God’s kingdom wherever we live. Let us seek the Lord now, forsake our wicked thoughts, and turn to the Lord to find mercy, as the prophet Isaiah calls us to in our first reading.

In our second reading, the Church presents Saint Paul as an example of someone who desires to serve the Church of Jesus for as long as possible. When he wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was in prison. In our second reading, he speaks of his own death, saying that dying is better because he desires to depart and be with Christ. However, living is more necessary because he will continue to minister to his people and help them be saved one day (Philippians 1:22-24). Here, Saint Paul demonstrates what it means to work in the Church of Jesus, not for his own reward but for the sake of the people of God. We are workers in the Church of Jesus, not because we expect special rewards, but because we care for our brothers and sisters and want them to be saved one day along with us. Therefore, as Saint Paul exhorts us, let us continue to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27).

Let us ask for God’s grace during the liturgy of this Mass so that we may continue to work in Jesus’ vineyard without expecting to be rewarded more than others. Amen. 

 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – September 13, 2026

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – September 13, 2026

Sirach 27:30 – 28:7; Romains 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35

 

Theme: We Should Always Forgive our Offenders from our Hearts and Without Limit

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 18:21-35

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Chapter 18 of Matthew’s Gospel contains five stories, with our Gospel passage being the final one. All the stories address relationships among church members in Matthew’s time. Like the fourth story (vv. 15-20), our Gospel account (vv. 21-35) emphasizes the disciples' responsibilities toward members who sin yet remain within the Church community. Immediately after our passage, Matthew recounts Jesus’ teachings on marriage and divorce (Mt 19:1-12).        

  

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel narrative, which includes a parable, is structured in three movements: Peter’s question and Jesus’ answer (vv. 21-22); Jesus’ parable, which illustrates his answer (vv. 23-34); and a brief interpretation of the parable (v. 35).           

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 21-22. Peter’s question responds to Jesus’ previous two teachings (18:10-14; 15-20), in which Jesus instructed them to seek reconciliation without limit with those who offend them. The disciples are overly concerned about this teaching. Now, through Peter’s question in our passage (v. 21), the disciples want to know whether this instruction on reconciliation also applies to forgiveness, since the two concepts are often linked.

Peter’s question here is not about being wronged several times because Jesus has already addressed this situation in the Gospel of Saint Luke when he said, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him” (Lk 17:3-4, NABRE). In our passage, however, Peter deals with a scenario of a one-time sin, which leaves intense pain. Although they have already forgiven the same sin many times, they realize that they must start forgiving again whenever they encounter the offender or simply recall the offense. Thus, his proposed answer, “as many as seven times,” clearly suggests, “When will God be satisfied, up to seven times?” Since “seven” in biblical tradition means “perfection,” Peter wants Jesus to confirm that they should be perfect when they forgive up to seven times because he does not want to continue to struggle with forgiving those whose sins continue to hurt him. The expression, “not seven times but seventy-seven times,” Jesus uses in his answer (v. 22), “is no mere mathematical formula, but an appeal to unlimited forgiveness.”^[1]

Vv. 23-34. Jesus illustrates his answer about unlimited forgiveness with a parable of the unforgiving servant. This parable contrasts the vast amount (100,000 talents) that the unforgiving servant owed his master with the insignificant amount (100 denarii; one talent being the equivalent of about 6,000 denarii) that his fellow servant owed him.^[2] His compassionate master forgave him all his debt, but in turn, he did not forgive his fellow servant. This parable cannot be allegorized, as doing so risks considering God as a cruel despot, treating his servants, their wives, and children as property to be sold.^[3] Through this parable, Jesus contrasts Divine generosity with human generosity. He then calls his disciples to imitate Divine generosity in reconciliation and forgiveness.

V. 35. Jesus concludes this passage by warning his disciples that if they do not forgive their offenders from their hearts, God will not forgive them either.

      

4. Synthesis

Peter is concerned about seeking reconciliation with their offenders without limits, as Jesus taught them previously (see Mt 18:10-14; 15-21). His question in our passage suggests that Jesus might set a limit of at least seven times in their call to forgive others. In his answer, Jesus asks them to forgive without limits. He illustrates this with the parable of the unforgiving servant, teaching them that God will not forgive them unless they forgive their fellow disciples without limits.       

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

Today is the second Sunday of the Month of the Word of God. The Scripture readings we heard focus on forgiveness. In our first reading, Ben Sira teaches us not to hold anger against our brothers and sisters but to forgive them. In our Gospel, Jesus calls his disciples to forgive their offenders from the heart and without limit. Today's Psalmist sings that God is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. Let us extend the kindness and mercy we receive from God to our brothers and sisters, because, as Saint Paul tells us in our second reading, we do not live nor die for ourselves; we live and die for the Lord.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Like the disciples, many of us are overly concerned that Jesus asked us in last Sunday’s Gospel to work for reconciliation without limit. Again, today, he calls us to forgive our brothers and sisters without limit. Peter’s question here is not about being wronged many times. Jesus addressed the situation of being wronged several times in the Gospel of Saint Luke when he said, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” (Lk 17:3-4, NABRE). In our passage, however, Peter deals with a scenario of a one-time sin, which causes intense pain. Although we have already forgiven the same sin many times, we realize that we must start forgiving again whenever we meet the offender or simply recall the offense. Thus, his proposed answer, “as many as seven times” (v. 21), implies that Jesus indicates a limit to forgiving this kind of sin, suggesting we should not feel obligated to forgive anymore after reaching this point. In his response, Jesus challenges us to practice unlimited forgiveness.

Jesus illustrates his answer with the parable of the Unforgiving Servant. This parable teaches us that our sins against God are far more significant than the transgressions our brothers and sisters commit against us. Therefore, because God forgives us without limits, we should also forgive our fellow humans from our hearts and without limits. Sirach teaches us the same thing in our first reading. He tells us that God keeps a record of our sins, and if we seek vengeance on our offenders, God will seek vengeance on us; but if we forgive them, God will forgive our sins when we pray. He clarifies that we cannot expect God to pardon us while holding a grudge against those who wronged us (see Sir 28:1-3).

I found at least three reasons why we should forgive our offenders from our hearts, especially when we struggle with the pain of their sins. First, we should forgive our offenders because forgiveness enables us to love and be compassionate. When we cannot forgive, compassion slowly turns away, and bitterness and vengeance take control of us. Second, we should always forgive because forgiveness brings healing. In a scenario where the offenders are already dead, do not realize it, or even do not care that we are suffering from their offenses, we should not expect them to come to us and apologize. We are the ones who need healing, not them. Therefore, we should forgive them from our hearts to seek healing. Third, we should forgive our offenders because we all will die one day, as Sirach tells us in our first reading (Sir 28:6), and we need to go to heaven after our earthly lives. In our second reading, Saint Paul invites us to belong to the Lord always, whether we live or die. Thus, to belong to the Lord or to inherit the kingdom of God, we first need to pardon and reconcile with our brothers and sisters.

Let us pray for God’s grace during the liturgy of this Mass, that we may become merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion like our God, as today’s Psalmist sings in our Responsorial Psalm. Amen.

 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

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[1] Ian Boxall, “Matthew” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1210.

[2] Ian Boxall, “Matthew” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1211.

[3] Ian Boxall, “Matthew” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1211 

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – Sept. 6, 2026

 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A – Sept. 6, 2026

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

 

Theme: Reconciliation with God and with our Fellow Humans

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 18:15-20

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage comes from the discourse in the fourth book of Matthew’s Gospel (18:1-35). This discourse primarily addresses relationships among Church members during Matthew’s time. It contains five stories, and our passage is the fourth. First, Jesus told his disciples that greatness in the heavenly kingdom is measured by childlikeness, not by power or rank (vv. 1-5). Second, he warned them not to cause the “little ones” or themselves to sin (vv. 6-9). Third, he instructed them not to abandon or reject members who stray from the Church community but always to seek them out (vv. 10-14). While the third story deals with members who have strayed from the Church, the fourth, our Gospel passage (vv. 15-20), and the fifth (vv. 21-35) focus on what the disciples must do regarding members who sin yet remain within the Church community.         

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel account has two movements. First, Jesus explains the three steps his disciples should follow when dealing with someone who sins (vv. 15-17). Second, he addresses his disciples' pastoral authority within the Church community (vv. 18-20).             

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 15-17. The offender here is “your brother,” who, primarily, represents a fellow disciple but also a member of the Christian community. Jesus reverses orders: it is not the offender who seeks reconciliation but the offended. The first step is to prioritize private correction. Jesus does not ask the offended disciples to spread news of the offenses they have suffered but to approach their offenders and seek reconciliation privately. The teaching here is that spreading news of the offenses they have suffered will never lead to reconciliation; it will only expand the circle of evil. If private correction fails, the disciples should proceed to the next step, which involves two or three witnesses in this reconciliation process. If the sinner still does not listen to the witnesses, the offended should ask the Church to intervene in the third step. The Church here does not refer to the universal Church of Jesus, as in Mt 16:18, but rather to the local Church, specifically to its leaders. If, after all these steps, the offenders still refuse to reconcile, then the local Church should treat them as “Gentiles or tax collectors,” meaning to separate from them (excommunication), just as devoted Jews avoided the company of Gentiles and tax collectors.

Vv. 18-20. Whatever the Church binds or looses on earth shall be confirmed in heaven. The Church of Jesus has the authority to excommunicate arrogant sinners and restore them to the Church community after they repent. Bible scholars argue whether Jesus granted this authority to bind and unbind to Peter alone (see Mt 16:19b) or to all disciples. My humble interpretation is that Jesus granted it to Peter as the leader of the Church and his successors, today Pope Leo XIV. This same authority is extended to all disciples in communion with Peter and their successors, the bishops, who are in communion with the pope. Considering vv. 19-20, this authority is also extended to the faithful believers who are in communion with the disciples and Peter, today, with the bishops and the pope, gathered in prayer in Jesus’ name. The keyword is “communion,” which Christians and disciples should maintain with Peter when they exercise this authority.  

What should be done with the “ex-communicated sinners?” Should the offended disciples and Christians definitively abandon the process of reconciliation with them? The answer is no. Immediately before this Gospel passage, Jesus told his disciples the parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10-14). The parable teaches that the “lost sheep” represents the “ex-communicated sinners,” whom, in our Gospel story, the offended disciples and Christians should continue to search for until they find them again because “it is not the will of [their] heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." (18:14).

 

4. Synthesis

Jesus teaches his disciples how to deal with their eventual offenders. They should follow these three steps: first, initiate a private reconciliation. Second, if that does not work, the disciples should involve two or three witnesses. Third, if the offender still does not listen to the witnesses, they should call the Church. If the offenders refuse to listen even to the Church, they should be excommunicated from the Church. This decision to “ex-communicate the arrogant sinners" will be confirmed in heaven because Jesus has granted Peter, the leader of his Church, and his successors the authority to bind and unbind (ex-communicate and restore to the community) here on earth, which will be confirmed in heaven. However, excommunicating a sinner does not mean that the process for reconciliation is closed, since the purpose here is remedial. In light of the parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10-14), which immediately precedes our text, the offended disciples and Christians have a mission to constantly seek out their offended excommunicated until they find them again. This is because “it is not the will of [their] heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." (18:14).   

 

B.    Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

The Catholic Church has dedicated September to the Word of God. The Church exhorts all faithful Christians to venerate the Word of God, both in the Church and within our families. First, in the liturgy of the Mass, we are called to celebrate the Word of God with reverence and to participate in it actively. This means we should listen attentively when God speaks to us through the Scripture readings and their interpretations (homilies) by the ordained ministers. Second, the Church also urges all families to venerate the Word of God at home. I recommend that each household create a “Family Bible Corner” at home. A “Family Bible Corner” is a suitable place prepared in the corner of your/my living room where you/I can display an open Bible. For example, it could be a small table covered with a white tablecloth (or any liturgical colors: red, purple, green, or white) and decorated with flowers, candles, and perhaps a crucifix or rosary. The Family Bible Corner should be visible to anyone who enters the house. Its purpose is to remind household members and visiting guests that the Word of God is central to your family. This Family Bible Corner can also serve as a gathering spot where the family meets for prayer, Bible sharing, or any other gathering. Third, the Church encourages all parishes to establish Bible Study Groups to give the faithful opportunities to meditate on, read, and study the Word of God (Evangelium Gaudium, 175). I then encourage you to attend my online Bible Study on the Sunday Mass Readings every Monday at 6:00 pm USA Central time. The Zoom ID is 836 4516 5259, and the passcode is Bible.

Today’s Bible readings teach us how and why we should always seek reconciliation with God and one another. Like the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading, we are appointed as “watchmen” and “watchwomen” for our brothers and sisters, to warn them and ourselves of the wickedness that leads to our death and to encourage them and ourselves to reconcile with God. In our Gospel, Jesus instructs us to follow a three-step process for seeking reconciliation with those who sin against us. This requires us to love God and our offenders, as Saint Paul exhorts us in our second reading. Today, we heard God's voice calling us to fulfill our prophetic mission of reconciling with God and our brothers and sisters. The responsorial psalm then reminds us not to harden our hearts.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Our Gospel passage calls us to initiate reconciliation with those who offend us. Notice how Jesus reverses the order: it is not our offenders who should come to us to seek reconciliation, but we are the ones who should go to them (v. 15). This requires humility, courage, and love. Jesus did it, and as his followers, he wants us to do the same. 

Jesus recommends three steps for seeking reconciliation. In the first step, he suggests a private correction. This approach contrasts with what many of us do today. When offended, we often tell our friends first. This part of the Gospel teaches us that spreading news of our offenses does not lead to reconciliation but instead perpetuates the circle of evil. Jesus calls us to prioritize one-on-one correction instead. If this conversation fails, our Lord asks us to proceed to the second step, which involves bringing two or three witnesses into the reconciliation process. If our offenders still do not listen to the witnesses, Jesus instructs us to tell the Church. If, even with the Church, the sinners still refuse to reconcile, then we should treat them as “Gentiles and tax collectors.” The expression “Gentiles and tax collectors” here refers to those declared outside the communion of the Church, or “excommunicated.”

Now, what should we do with the “excommunicated people”? Does Jesus ask us to abandon reconciliation with them? The answer is no. To better understand what Jesus wants to teach us here, we need to connect our Gospel story to the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 10-14), which immediately precedes it.

The allegory of this parable is that the caring shepherd stands for Jesus. The ninety-nine sheep represent the Jews in a covenant with God; today, they represent all Christians in a new covenant with God through Jesus. The one lost sheep represents Gentiles, tax collectors, and other sinners considered outside God’s covenant. Today, this “lost sheep” refers to all those who are not members of the Church (including the excommunicated), which is the Body of Christ. The parable emphasizes the significant effort of Jesus, the “caring shepherd,” who seeks out tax collectors, Gentiles, and other sinners and brings them in. So, in our Gospel passage, when Jesus recommends treating wicked people as “Gentiles and tax collectors,” he calls us to consider them as “the lost sheep.” Thus, like Jesus, the caring shepherd, we are called to go and seek them out until we find them and bring them back into the sheepfold, which is communion with God and with Church members. To seek them out means to evangelize and minister to them. This is the mission God assigned to Ezekiel in our first reading.

In our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel receives a call from God to warn his people of their wrongdoing and invite them to reconcile with God. As in our time today, people have transformed wrongful deeds into virtues. What God and the Church call sins are often actions that people prefer and even pressure societies to recognize as virtues. Should the Church and all of us Christians allow them to continue living in a state of sin? No! Our first reading teaches us that God commissions us with the same mission he gave to the prophet Ezekiel: to openly warn our brothers and sisters, as well as ourselves, of the wickedness that leads to our demise. This mission invites everyone, including us, to repent and reconcile with God to attain salvation. 

However, it is sad that many of us feel uncomfortable and unsafe discussing widespread, popular sins in our societies because we wish to protect our friendships, jobs, reputations, and lives. For instance, many parents and schoolteachers choose not to correct their teenagers and students for fear of hurting their feelings. When we opt not to warn people about their sins, we should understand that mortal sins are like cancer. If we do not stop them early, they spread throughout our families, parishes, cities, and societies. If we love people, we will not allow them to turn away from God and lose eternal salvation at the Last Judgment; instead, with great love, we must warn and invite them to repent and reconcile with God. When we do this, we save them and ourselves; but when we fail to warn them, God will hold us responsible for their condemnation (Ez 33:8-9).

We are not just “the prophet Ezekiel,” but also among those who should heed warnings from the “prophet Ezekiel” of our time (priests, parents, schoolteachers, catechists, and brothers and sisters), even when it is painful to hear them speak directly to us about our sins. We are all sinners, and we all need reconciliation with God.

To reconcile with our offenders and warn people of their wrongdoing, we need a profound love for God and our brothers and sisters, including our offenders, as Saint Paul exhorts us in the second reading. Only love can make our prophetic mission possible. As we understand our prophetic mission today, our responsorial psalm urges us not to harden our hearts.

May the liturgy of this Mass empower us to continue working toward reconciliation with God and our fellow humans, with great love and without weariness. Amen. 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator