First Reading

First reading

Reading from the prophecy of Ezekiel

Ezekiel 33, 7-9

Thus says the Lord:
«You, son of man,
I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel.
When you hear a word from my mouth,
you shall communicate it on my behalf.

If I pronounce a sentence of death against a man,
because he is wicked,
and you do not warn him to turn away from his evil way,
the wicked man shall die because of his guilt,
but I will hold you accountable for his life.

However, if you warn him
to abandon his evil way
and he does not abandon it,
he shall die because of his guilt,
but you will have saved your life».

Second reading

Reading from the letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Romans

Romans 13, 8-10

Brothers and sisters: Do not owe anyone anything except mutual love, for whoever loves their neighbor has already fulfilled the entire law. Indeed, the commandments that order: «You shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not kill, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet» and all the others, are summed up in this: «You shall love your neighbor as yourself», for whoever loves their neighbor causes no harm to anyone. Therefore, to perfectly fulfill the law consists in loving.

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 18, 15-20

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «If your brother commits a sin, go and admonish him privately. If he listens to you, you will have saved your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that everything said may be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses. But if he still does not listen, tell it to the community; and if he does not listen even to the community, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

I assure you that whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

I also assure you that if two of you agree to ask for something, whatever it may be, my heavenly Father will grant it to you; for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst».