TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 6, 2023
(Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20)
Today’s Gospel reading comes from the fourth of the five
major discourses forming the body of the Gospel of Matthew. In some ways, this
discourse is the most difficult to appreciate, as it contains a vision of the
Church that differs from contemporary reality. We see the Church today as a
well-structured institution with more than a billion members. In Matthew’s gospel,
the Church is considered as a small community of equals.
The reading shows Jesus concerned about the dignity of all
members of the Church. It recounts the case of a member who has sinned and
describes how the witness to the crime should go to the sinner “alone.” When he
finds him, he should admonish him for having done wrong. The witness goes
“alone” to the suspect to preserve his dignity. It is possible that the witness
may have misjudged the other person’s actions. Also, going “alone” will prevent
the suspect’s loved ones from forming negative thoughts about him without
knowing all the facts of the case.
Once, a detective went to a suspect’s house to make an
arrest. Instead of entering, he asked the suspect to come outside. He later
explained his reason for not entering the suspect’s house: he wanted to respect
the man’s dignity. He didn’t want the man’s children to think their father was bad or that he had committed a crime before being tried and convicted.
Human dignity has been the foundation of the Church’s Social
Doctrine. It is defined as “the intrinsic value of every person, which stems
from being created in the image of God.” According to Pope Leo XIV’s new
encyclical, misunderstandings about human dignity often arise. Some think that
a person has dignity only when he can think clearly, live independently, and not
suffer greatly. Others believe that dignity is something a person earns through
her own efforts. These notions of dignity have a certain validity, but they
don't encompass the essential nature of the concept. The elderly woman in the
assisted living facility has not lost her dignity, nor has the unborn child in his
mother's womb, nor has the criminal in prison.
This weekend we need to reflect on the dignity of workers
because in the United States and Canada Labor Day is celebrated tomorrow. Labor
Day should never become merely the last holiday of summer. Rather, it should be
an opportunity to think a little about what work is and how to enhance the
dignity of the worker.
The Church teaches that work, in its origin, is not a
punishment but a gift. Through work a person participates with God in creation.
Work also gives workers the opportunity to develop their talents so they can
become better people. Likewise, it provides sustenance for their families and
opportunities to serve in the community. Finally, work allows workers to make
the world a more just place. This applies to all just work. Both house cleaners
and heart surgeons improve their lives and contribute to the common good when
they perform their jobs well.
Pope Leo's encyclical points out the challenges that
Artificial Intelligence poses to the dignity of workers. Among other things, it
will eliminate many jobs. It will increasingly endanger the miners who extract
the minerals to power AI machinery. And it may render human thought obsolete in
favor of machine calculations.
How does the Pope guide us in facing these challenges? He
reminds us that we all have a responsibility to overcome them by building a
civilization of love. He adds that no one can do everything necessary to
achieve this civilization, but everyone has something to contribute. He
mentions the need to foster dialogue among nations so that the benefits are
reciprocal and the harm does not disproportionately affect poor nations.
Finally, he urges us to turn to Jesus Christ through prayer and imitation. For
Jesus became both a worker and a man who identified with the marginalized and
helped everyone. Undoubtedly, his wisdom will guide us beyond calamity with IA
and towards a world where love reigns.
