Caring For One Another’s Well-Being

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

September 08, 2026

in Worship Arts

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September 6, 2026:

Readings:
Ezekiel 33:7-11
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 18:15-20

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026 Homily – Abp. Hines

God’s love for us is so amazing that His provisions show us how much He cares for us. We should come to Him with honor and glory. If only we would grasp this truth and not think of defeat or failure. We have failed to understand His provisions for us. The world is pulling us away from the Lord, sowing fear and anxiety into our lives. Jesus teaches us self-denial. He tells us to follow Him. It should be total obedience to Him.

God has placed us here for a purpose. We are His servants and are supposed to be working with Him. We should know the truth because Christ is the truth. When God created the world, He created it in love. When Jesus gave Peter (who represents us), the keys of the kingdom, He also gave us the ability to bind anything on earth and it shall be bound in heaven; and anything we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Proverbs tells us that we are not to be weary of our well-being. James 1: 9 “Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position.” Look at how God evaluates people. It’s the humble who really is in a high position. Everything was created by God. Nothing was created without Him . And yet in His humility, He became man so that He could redeem us.

Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.” Being His watchmen, we are to look out for others, we are to be concerned over their welfare. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” Go to the person privately first. Do not gossip or spread the matter to others. If they listen and repent, reconciliation is achieved. If they refuse to listen, take one or two other people along to help establish the facts and encourage resolution. If they still refuse, bring the matter before the church. If they reject the church’s counsel, treat them like a gentile or tax collector. Romans 13: 10 states that “love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

We are not to have any bitterness with others. We need to work together in unity. We may not agree with everything others believe in, but we still operate in love. So many divisions have been brought about because of our own doing. We should be concerned for our neighbor’s welfare. Jesus came to restore man, setting a pattern of what we should also be doing. He reminds us of our authority and power to change situations. Our task is to be like Christ, to help others. The power of unity should prevail. We are to give hope and life, and the responsibility to prove the will of God.