23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time US Catholic Homily — September 6, 2026
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
US Catholic Homily — September 6, 2026
Lectionary Year A · Ordinary Time
First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7–9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1–2, 6–7, 8–9
Second Reading: Romans 13:8–10
Gospel: Matthew 18:15–20
Sunday Homilies A Sunday Homilies B Sunday Homilies C
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” — Psalm 95:8
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 127
Reading 1
Ezekiel 33:7-9
Thus says the LORD:
You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ”
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way,
and he refuses to turn from his way,
he shall die for his guilt,
but you shall save yourself.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Reading 2
Romans 13:8-10
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, 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 kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ”
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Alleluia
2 Corinthians 5:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that ‘every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.
If he refuses to listen even to the church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
❖ ✝ ❖
The Courage to Warn, the Grace to Forgive, and the Presence of Christ
Good morning, brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today the Word of God places before us a difficult but deeply necessary question:
What do we do when someone we love is going in the wrong direction?
It is easy to love people when everything is peaceful. It is easy to call someone a friend when we agree with everything they say. It is easy to remain silent when another person’s choices do not directly affect us.
But Christian love is more demanding than that.
Sometimes love must speak.
Sometimes love must warn.
Sometimes love must correct.
And sometimes love must forgive.
The readings for this Sunday bring these realities together with extraordinary wisdom.
In the first reading, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for Israel. The watchman has a responsibility to see danger and warn the people. He cannot simply say, “That is not my business.”
In the Responsorial Psalm, we hear the invitation:
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
The second reading tells us that all the commandments are summed up in one great commandment:
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
And then Jesus gives us one of the most practical teachings in the Gospel: when a brother or sister sins against us, we should not immediately gossip about it, publicly shame the person, or simply walk away. Jesus teaches us to approach the person personally, patiently, and truthfully.
And then He gives us the extraordinary promise:
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Today’s Gospel is therefore not simply about correcting someone.
It is about restoring relationships.
It is about truth without cruelty.
It is about correction without humiliation.
It is about love that is courageous enough to speak and humble enough to forgive.
❖ ✝ ❖
“I Have Appointed You as a Watchman”
First Reading — Ezekiel 33:7–9
The prophet Ezekiel receives a serious responsibility from God.
The Lord tells him that he has been appointed as a watchman for the people. If danger is coming and the watchman sees it, he must sound the warning.
Imagine a city in ancient times surrounded by walls.
The people are sleeping.
Families are resting.
Children are inside their homes.
But high on the wall stands a watchman.
His responsibility is not to fight every battle himself.
His responsibility is to see what others cannot yet see.
If an army is approaching, he must sound the alarm.
If he sees danger but remains silent, he has failed in his responsibility.
This is the image God gives Ezekiel.
And it raises a question for every Christian:
Are there moments when God expects us to be a watchman for someone else?
There are people in our lives who may be walking toward danger.
A child may be making destructive choices.
A friend may be trapped in an addiction.
A family member may be destroying a marriage.
A young person may be losing faith.
A colleague may be moving toward dishonesty.
Someone we love may be carrying bitterness that is destroying their peace.
What do we do?
Sometimes we remain silent because we are afraid.
“What will they think of me?”
“They may become angry.”
“They may stop talking to me.”
“It is none of my business.”
But today’s first reading reminds us that Christian love sometimes requires courage.
A watchman who refuses to warn is not being loving.
Silence is not always kindness.
Sometimes silence is simply fear wearing the clothing of politeness.
But there is an important distinction.
God does not ask Ezekiel to become a judge.
He asks him to become a watchman.
A watchman warns.
God alone judges the heart.
This distinction is essential for Christian life.
We are called to speak the truth, but we are not called to condemn people.
We are called to correct, but we are not called to humiliate.
We are called to warn, but we must always remember that the person standing before us is someone whom God loves.
The purpose of Christian correction is not:
“I am right and you are wrong.”
The purpose is:
“I love you enough to help you find your way back to God.”
❖ ✝ ❖
“Harden Not Your Hearts”
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 95
The Responsorial Psalm gives us one of the most important spiritual warnings in Scripture:
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
Notice that the Psalm does not say:
“If someday you hear God’s voice.”
It says:
“If today…”
God speaks today.
Grace is offered today.
Mercy is available today.
The opportunity to reconcile is today.
The opportunity to forgive is today.
The opportunity to change is today.
The danger is that the human heart can become hardened gradually.
A heart rarely becomes hard overnight.
It happens little by little.
One resentment is carried.
Then another.
One disappointment is stored.
Then another.
One wound is remembered.
Then another.
Eventually we begin to construct walls around our hearts.
We say:
“I will never forgive.”
“I will never trust again.”
“I don’t care anymore.”
“I don’t want to hear anything from that person.”
But Jesus comes today and says:
Do not harden your heart.
This does not mean that we pretend that wounds never happened.
Forgiveness does not mean denying injustice.
Forgiveness does not mean allowing someone to continue harming us.
Forgiveness does not eliminate appropriate boundaries.
Rather, forgiveness means refusing to allow another person’s wrongdoing to control our heart forever.
The Christian says:
“Yes, what happened was painful.
Yes, what happened was wrong.
But I will not allow hatred to become the master of my heart.
I will place this wound in the hands of God.”
That is spiritual freedom.
❖ ✝ ❖
“Love Is the Fulfillment of the Law”
Second Reading — Romans 13:8–10
Saint Paul gives us a beautiful summary of Christian morality.
He says that we should owe no one anything except to love one another.
Love fulfills the law.
This sounds simple.
But Christian love is not simply a feeling.
Feelings change.
Love, in the Christian sense, is a decision to seek the true good of another person.
Sometimes seeking another person’s good means encouraging them.
Sometimes it means forgiving them.
Sometimes it means helping them.
And sometimes it means telling them something they do not want to hear.
Think about a parent whose child is making a dangerous decision.
The parent may say:
“My child, I love you too much to pretend that this is okay.”
That is love.
A doctor may tell a patient:
“You must change your lifestyle because your current habits are harming you.”
That may be difficult to hear.
But the doctor speaks because the doctor wants the patient to live.
A good friend may say:
“I think you are hurting yourself and hurting the people around you.”
That conversation may be uncomfortable.
But it may save a friendship.
Christian love is not the absence of difficult conversations.
Christian love is the presence of truth and mercy within those conversations.
Paul says:
“Love does no evil to the neighbor.”
Therefore, before we correct another person, we should ask ourselves:
Am I speaking because I love this person, or because I am angry with this person?
Am I trying to restore them?
Or am I trying to punish them?
Am I trying to help?
Or am I trying to prove that I am right?
That examination of conscience can change everything.
❖ ✝ ❖
“Go and Tell Him His Fault Between You and Him Alone”
Gospel — Matthew 18:15–20
Jesus now gives His disciples a practical path for dealing with conflict.
He says that if your brother sins against you, go and speak to him privately.
This is remarkable.
Jesus does not say:
“Tell everyone.”
He does not say:
“Post about it.”
He does not say:
“Gather supporters.”
He says:
Go privately.
There is great wisdom here.
How often do conflicts become worse because we speak to everyone except the person with whom we have the problem?
We tell our friends.
We tell our relatives.
We tell our coworkers.
We tell our neighbors.
We tell people who were never involved in the original problem.
And by the time we finally speak to the person concerned, the story has become ten times larger than the original wound.
Jesus offers another way.
Go directly.
Speak privately.
Speak respectfully.
Speak honestly.
And listen.
This is profoundly countercultural.
Our modern world often rewards public outrage.
Jesus teaches private reconciliation.
Our culture can encourage people to expose one another.
Jesus teaches us first to approach the person directly.
Our culture can turn disagreements into permanent divisions.
Jesus teaches us to seek restoration.
The goal is not victory.
The goal is to win back the brother or sister.
That phrase is important.
Jesus says:
“If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.”
You have not won an argument.
You have won a brother.
You have not defeated an enemy.
You have restored a relationship.
That is the heart of Christian correction.
❖ ✝ ❖
Truth Without Humiliation
There is another important lesson in today’s Gospel.
Jesus does not say that we should ignore sin.
He does not tell us:
“Just tolerate everything.”
Christianity is not moral indifference.
Jesus takes sin seriously.
But He also takes the dignity of the sinner seriously.
The person who has done wrong is still a person loved by God.
That means we must learn how to hold two truths together:
What happened may be wrong.
And:
The person who did it is still loved by God.
This is difficult.
It is easier to label people.
It is easier to say:
“He is bad.”
“She is terrible.”
“They will never change.”
But God sees deeper.
God sees the wound behind the behavior.
God sees the fear behind the anger.
God sees the loneliness behind the addiction.
God sees the insecurity behind the pride.
God sees the history we do not know.
That does not excuse sin.
But it changes the way we approach sinners.
We approach them as people who need grace.
Because we also need grace.
❖ ✝ ❖
When Reconciliation Takes Time
Jesus gives a process.
First, speak privately.
If the person does not listen, take one or two others.
If the person still refuses, involve the Church.
This shows us that reconciliation sometimes requires patience.
Not every wound is healed in one conversation.
Not every disagreement disappears after one apology.
Not every relationship can immediately return to the way it was.
Sometimes trust takes time.
Sometimes healing requires boundaries.
Sometimes professional or pastoral help is necessary.
Sometimes the other person refuses to change.
And when that happens, we place the situation into God’s hands.
Christian forgiveness does not mean remaining in an abusive or dangerous situation.
It means refusing hatred while seeking wisdom.
We can forgive someone and still maintain healthy boundaries.
We can pray for someone without giving them permission to continue hurting us.
We can release resentment without pretending that nothing happened.
Grace does not make us foolish.
Grace makes us free.
❖ ✝ ❖
“Where Two or Three Are Gathered”
At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us one of His most beloved promises:
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
We often hear this verse in connection with prayer meetings.
And rightly so.
But in today’s context, there is something deeper.
Jesus speaks about conflict, reconciliation, forgiveness, and community.
Then He says:
“I am there.”
Christ is present when people gather in His name.
Christ is present when husband and wife sincerely seek reconciliation.
Christ is present when two family members finally sit down and talk.
Christ is present when a parish community chooses forgiveness instead of division.
Christ is present when people pray together for healing.
Christ is present when someone says:
“I am sorry.”
And when another person says:
“I forgive you.”
The presence of Christ changes the atmosphere.
When Christ is absent from a conversation, pride can dominate.
When Christ is present, humility becomes possible.
When Christ is absent, we ask:
“How can I win?”
When Christ is present, we ask:
“How can we heal?”
That is the difference.
❖ ✝ ❖
A Story for the 23rd Sunday: The Father Who Finally Made the Call
There was a father named Michael whose adult son had gradually become distant from the family.
At first, it seemed normal.
The son was busy with work.
Then he stopped coming home for family celebrations.
Then he stopped answering phone calls.
Eventually, the relationship became almost completely silent.
Michael was hurt.
His wife encouraged him to call.
But Michael said:
“He knows where we are. If he wants to talk, he can call.”
Months passed.
Then years.
Michael continued going to Mass.
Every Sunday, he prayed for his son.
But he never made the call.
One evening, while reading the Gospel about reconciliation, he came across Jesus’ teaching:
“Go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”
Michael suddenly realized something.
He had spent years waiting for his son to make the first move.
He had told himself that he was protecting his dignity.
But perhaps his pride was simply hiding behind dignity.
He went to his bedroom.
He sat quietly.
And he prayed:
“Lord, I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know whether he will answer. But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life waiting for him to make the first move.”
He picked up his phone.
He called.
His son answered.
There was silence.
Finally Michael said:
“Son, I don’t want to argue. I don’t want to blame you. I just want you to know that I love you, and I miss you.”
The son began to cry.
He said:
“Dad, I’ve wanted to call you for years, but I thought you were angry with me.”
Michael answered:
“I was hurt. But I don’t want my hurt to become more important than our relationship.”
That conversation did not solve everything.
There were still wounds.
There were still difficult things to discuss.
Trust had to be rebuilt.
But something had changed.
The door was open.
Sometimes reconciliation begins not with a perfect conversation but with one courageous sentence:
“I love you, and I want us to find our way back to each other.”
That is the spirit of today’s Gospel.
❖ ✝ ❖
An American Catholic Witness: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
For this Sunday’s reflection on love, reconciliation, and Christian responsibility, we can look to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized.
Elizabeth Ann Seton lived through enormous personal suffering.
She experienced the death of loved ones, financial difficulties, religious searching, and the responsibilities of caring for a family.
Yet through all these experiences, she gradually discovered that God was calling her to deeper faith and service.
She became Catholic and eventually founded a community dedicated to education and charity.
Her life reminds us that holiness is not created by perfect circumstances.
Holiness grows when ordinary people allow God to transform difficult circumstances into opportunities for love.
She understood that Christian faith must become practical.
Faith must enter the home.
Faith must enter the classroom.
Faith must enter relationships.
Faith must enter moments of suffering.
Faith must become compassion.
Faith must become patience.
Faith must become service.
And faith must become love.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton reminds us that the Christian life is not simply about what we believe on Sunday.
It is about how we treat people on Monday.
It is about how we speak to our spouse.
How we respond to our children.
How we treat the elderly.
How we speak about people who disagree with us.
How we respond when someone hurts us.
How willing we are to forgive.
How willing we are to begin again.
Her life tells us:
Grace can transform an ordinary life into a witness of extraordinary love.
❖ ✝ ❖
Christian Reconciliation in American Catholic Life
The Courage to Speak
In Catholic families and communities today, one of our greatest challenges is learning how to have difficult conversations without destroying relationships.
We live in a time when disagreements can become personal very quickly.
People can stop speaking to relatives over political differences.
Friendships can collapse because of misunderstandings.
Parish communities can become divided.
Families can carry old wounds for decades.
Today’s Gospel challenges us:
Do not let disagreement become permanent division.
Speak.
Listen.
Pray.
Seek counsel when necessary.
And remember that the person across from you is not merely an opponent.
That person is someone created in the image of God.
The Ministry of Listening
Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer another person is simply to listen.
Before correcting someone, understand them.
Before answering, listen.
Before judging, ask questions.
Many conflicts continue because both sides are preparing their response while the other person is speaking.
Christian listening says:
“I want to understand your pain.”
That does not mean agreeing with everything.
It means recognizing the dignity of the person.
The Courage to Apologize
There are two powerful words that can heal a family:
“I am sorry.”
But pride often makes those words difficult.
We may think:
“If I apologize, I will look weak.”
The Gospel teaches the opposite.
Humility is not weakness.
Humility is strength under control.
A person who can sincerely say “I am sorry” has already begun the journey toward freedom.
The Grace to Forgive
Forgiveness is one of the greatest Christian acts.
But forgiveness is not always an emotion.
Sometimes we forgive while still hurting.
Sometimes we forgive and still need time to heal.
Sometimes we must forgive repeatedly.
That is why forgiveness is often a prayer:
“Lord, I am not yet able to forgive completely. But I want to become willing to forgive. Give me the grace to begin.”
God can work with that prayer.
❖ ✝ ❖
Scriptures to Carry Into This Week
1. Colossians 3:13
“Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.”
When someone hurts you this week, remember the mercy God has already shown you.
2. Ephesians 4:15
“Speaking the truth in love.”
Truth without love can become cruelty.
Love without truth can become dishonesty.
The Christian vocation is to unite truth and love.
3. Proverbs 15:1
“A gentle answer turns away wrath.”
Not every argument needs another argument.
Sometimes gentleness is more powerful than volume.
4. James 1:19
“Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
Carry this verse into your family conversations.
5. 1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
Love does not deny wrongdoing.
Love refuses to let wrongdoing have the final word.
❖ ✝ ❖
Conclusion: Be a Watchman of Love
Brothers and sisters,
Today’s readings give us a beautiful mission.
God tells Ezekiel:
Be a watchman.
The Psalm tells us:
Do not harden your heart.
Paul tells us:
Love your neighbor.
And Jesus tells us:
Go and seek reconciliation.
These four messages belong together.
A Christian must have eyes that see.
A heart that remains soft.
A mouth that speaks truth.
And hands that reach toward reconciliation.
Perhaps there is someone in your life today who needs a conversation.
Perhaps you have been avoiding it.
Perhaps you are waiting for them to call.
Perhaps pride has convinced you that making the first move means losing.
But remember:
The first person to move toward reconciliation is not the loser.
The first person to move toward reconciliation is the person who has understood the Gospel.
Maybe you need to apologize.
Maybe you need to forgive.
Maybe you need to have a difficult conversation.
Maybe you need to establish a healthy boundary.
Maybe you need to stop gossiping and start praying.
Maybe you need to ask God to soften a heart that has become hard.
Whatever the situation, bring it before Christ.
Because Jesus does not merely give us instructions for reconciliation.
He promises His presence.
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
So do not enter the difficult conversation alone.
Pray first.
Invite Jesus into the room.
Ask Him to control your words.
Ask Him to control your emotions.
Ask Him to give you courage without anger.
Ask Him to give you truth without cruelty.
Ask Him to give you forgiveness without bitterness.
And if reconciliation cannot happen immediately, place the situation into His hands.
God can work slowly.
God can heal deeply.
God can open doors that we thought were permanently closed.
Let us therefore leave this Mass with three commitments:
I will speak truth with love.
I will refuse to harden my heart.
I will seek reconciliation whenever it is possible and wise.
And when we fail, we will begin again.
Because the Christian life is not the story of people who never hurt one another.
It is the story of people who continually allow Christ to teach them how to love.
May we become watchmen who warn with compassion.
May we become disciples who listen with humility.
May we become Christians who forgive with courage.
And may every family, every parish, and every community become a place where people can discover the presence of Christ.
For where two or three are gathered in His name,
He is there.
Glory and praise forever.
Amen.
❖ ✝ ❖
Reflection Questions for Personal Prayer or Group Discussion
1. Ezekiel is called to be a watchman. Is there someone in your life whom God may be asking you to lovingly warn, encourage, or guide?
2. Psalm 95 says, “Harden not your hearts.” Is there a wound, resentment, or disappointment that has caused your heart to become hard?
3. Jesus asks us to approach someone privately when conflict occurs. Do you tend to speak directly to people, or do you first discuss the problem with others?
4. Saint Paul says that love fulfills the law. What is one practical way you can show Christian love to someone who is difficult for you this week?
5. Jesus promises to be present where two or three are gathered in His name. How can you invite Christ more consciously into your family conversations and relationships?
6. Is there someone to whom you need to say “I am sorry,” “I forgive you,” or simply “I love you”?
❖ ✝ ❖
Prayers of the Faithful — 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Presider: Brothers and sisters, trusting in the presence of Christ among His people, let us bring our prayers before our loving Father.
1. For the Catholic Church throughout the world:
That the Church may faithfully proclaim the truth of the Gospel with courage, humility, and love, and become a place of healing and reconciliation for all who seek God.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
2. For families experiencing division:
That husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and relatives separated by misunderstanding may receive the grace of forgiveness and find a path toward reconciliation.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
3. For those who have been deeply wounded:
That those carrying anger, betrayal, rejection, or painful memories may experience the healing presence of Christ and receive the grace to forgive without denying the seriousness of their wounds.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
4. For those who need the courage to speak:
That parents, teachers, pastors, friends, and all who have a responsibility to guide others may speak truth with compassion and wisdom, never humiliating those they are called to help.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
5. For our parish community:
That we may resist gossip, division, judgment, and resentment, and instead become a community where people listen, forgive, encourage, and support one another.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
6. For those who feel alone:
That those who have been separated from their families, rejected by friends, or isolated by difficult circumstances may discover the loving presence of God and caring companions along their journey.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
7. For our faithful departed:
That those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith may be welcomed into the eternal kingdom, where every wound is healed and every tear is wiped away.
We pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider:
Heavenly Father, You have called us to love one another and to seek reconciliation. Soften our hardened hearts, strengthen us when we must speak difficult truths, and give us the humility to apologize and the grace to forgive.
May we never forget that Your Son is present whenever Your people gather in His name.
Hear the prayers we offer today and guide us along the path of peace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
❖ ✝ ❖
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time · September 6, 2026 · Lectionary Year A · US Catholic Homily
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” — Psalm 95:8
Daily Bread August – 2026 – Mass Readings and Reflections
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