The faithful have been urged to fulfil their Christian responsibilities, love one another and seek reconciliation whenever disagreements arise.
Preaching during the 7:00 am Mass at Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine on the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr Ronnie Kibagajjo, the Assistant Parish Priest, said Christians have a duty to guide others toward what is right, without expecting personal gain.
Reflecting on the first reading, Fr Kibagajjo explained that God appointed the prophet Ezekiel as a watchman responsible for warning those who had turned away from the right path.
“The prophet’s responsibility was to be God’s voice and deliver His message to the people. Whether they listened and changed was up to them. His duty was to communicate the message,” he said.
He noted that although Christians may not be prophets, God has entrusted them with responsibilities through Baptism and other vocations, and challenged parents and godparents to reflect on whether they continue guiding children in the Catholic faith after presenting them for Baptism.
“After taking children for Baptism, do we continue taking them to church and teaching them the faith? Or do we abandon them and say, ‘I have done my part; let the children now do whatever they want’?” he asked.
Fr Kibagajjo explained that parents remain responsible for guiding and praying for their children even when they grow older or leave home. He also called upon leaders to examine whether they are faithfully carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to them.
Turning to the second reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans, he reminded the congregation that every Christian owes others a “debt of love.”
“If it is a debt, it means that it must be paid. Therefore, all of us owe our brothers and sisters the debt of loving them,” he said.
He explained that love fulfils God’s commandments and keeps the Church united as one community of faith. Christians, he said, should live in such a way that others can see Christ reflected in their words and actions.
Reflecting on the Gospel according to Matthew, Fr Kibagajjourged believers to follow Christ’s guidance when resolving disagreements. He said a person who has been wronged should first speak privately to the person responsible, aiming to restore friendship rather than merely prove who is right.
He cautioned Christians against immediately sharing personal disagreements on social media before speaking to those involved.
“When someone wrongs us, we immediately post about it on our WhatsApp status so that everyone can see. We tell hundreds or even thousands of people before speaking privately to the person concerned,” he observed.
When a private conversation fails, Christ advises involving one or two trusted people. If reconciliation is still not achieved, the matter should be presented to the Church community, which has a responsibility to help restore peace.
Fr Kibagajjo urged Christians not to celebrate or worsen disagreements between others, but to become instruments of reconciliation in their families, workplaces, neighbourhoods and faith communities.
He further reminded the faithful that disagreement should never lead to hatred. Christians should remain willing to greet, respect and pray for those with whom they have differences.
“Let us ask the Lord to change our hearts so that we do not rejoice in other people’s disagreements,” he said.
