Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ezekiel 33:7-9 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel

If you have not warned the wicked man, then I will hold you responsible for his death.

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man: Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ezekiel 33:7-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel

The word of the Lord came to me:

“So you, O mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel;

whenever you hear a word from my mouth,

you shall give them warning from me.

“If I say to the wicked,

‘O wicked ones, you shall surely die,’

and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways,

the wicked shall die in their iniquity,

but their blood I will require at your hand.

“But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways,

and they do not turn from their ways,

the wicked shall die in their iniquity,

but you will have saved your life.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 94:1-2, 6-9 (JB)

R. O that today you would listen to his voice!

Harden not your hearts.

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;

hail the rock who saves us.

Let us come before him, giving thanks,

with songs let us hail the Lord. R.

Come in; let us bow and bend low;

let us kneel before the God who made us

for he is our God and we

the people who belong to his pasture,

the flock that is led by his hand. R.

O that today you would listen to his voice!

‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,

as on that day at Massah in the desert

when your fathers put me to the test;

when they tried me, though they saw my work.’ R.

Romans 13:8-10 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Love is the fulfilment of the Law.

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 13:8-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Owe no one anything, except to love one another;

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery;

You shall not murder;

You shall not steal;

You shall not covet”;

and any other commandment,

are summed up in this word,

“Love your neighbour as yourself.”

Love does no wrong to a neighbour;

therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians 5:19 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

God was in Christ, to reconcile the world to himself;

and the Good News of reconciliation he has entrusted to us.

Alleluia!

2 Corinthians 5:19 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

God was in Christ, to reconcile the world to himself;

and the good news of reconciliation he has entrusted to us.

Alleluia!

Matthew 18:15-20 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

If your brother or sister listens to you, you will have won that person back.

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.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus spoke to his disciples.

“If your brother or sister sins against you,

go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.

If the brother or sister listens to you,

you have regained that one.

But if you are not listened to,

take one or two others along with you,

so that every word may be confirmed

by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If the brother or sister refuses to listen to them,

tell it to the church;

and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church,

let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

“Truly I tell you

whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Again, truly I tell you,

if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask,

it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered in my name,

I am there among them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.