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FROM THE PASTORS DESK……
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2005
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
A number of years ago, when I was the Guardian at Old Mission Santa Barbara, Bea Schwab, mother of Brother Joe Schwab, OFM, was the head nurse in our Serra Wing Infirmary. At one of our staff meetings, she mentioned to me that there was someone on staff that she desperately wanted to meet. It seemed odd to me that since she had already been in charge of the Serra Wing for many years, there could still be someone on staff whom she did not yet know. I asked her who that person might be. She said that the person's name was "Not me." It seems that when she asked the staff who failed to turn out the lights, or clean up the kitchen, or lock the door to the medication room the answer always was: "Not me."
We hear a lot about the "silent majority." However, there is no "silent majority" in God's Kingdom. Our First Reading from the Old Testament Book of the Prophet Ezekiel appointed to be read on this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, clearly points this out to us. God through our baptism has called us to participate in the prophetic office of Jesus Christ. Just like the Prophet Ezekiel, then, we are charged with speaking out against evil. (See Ezekiel 27: 30-28: 7) Someone once said that in order for evil to continue to grow and increase all that is needed is for good people to do nothing.
However, there is a right way and a wrong way to correct others when we see that they are doing wrong. Jesus gives us the formula in today's Gospel from St. Matthew. (See Matthew 18: 15-20) The first step is to try to work it out just between the two of you. If that doesn't work, then bring in some facilitators. If that fails, then we need to try and seek counseling from the church. In God's Kingdom, we are all our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We bear responsibility before God for each other and some day we shall have to answer for it. A sobering thought for this coming week.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Raymond Tintle, OFM
Pastor
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