Sunday, September 6, 2026

 

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.