Matthew 5: 20-26
20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. 23So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.
What touched my Soul
’ if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”.
Jesus makes clear in this reading the importance of the reconciliation.
In this note i would like to advice you to read the excelent 2019 Lent book writen by Muthuraj Swamy about Reconciliation. it will help you go throught the lent reflecting in this important element of our Christian faith that Jesus give emphasis in this reading.
The reconciliation to me was since a young age one of he challenging message from Jesus teachings. thos comes side by side with the message pf love our enemies. This is deep contrast with the Old Testament, for example from the Exodus “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth“.
Jesus came to call us to love our enemies and reconcile with our brothers and sisters before go and look for our Lord.
And we all know how challenging this Is.
In our life we regularly end up facing conflictual situations, some of them we don’t have way to escape from it. Some we are dragged into it, some we are the source of it.
As Christians, followers of Christ‘s teachings we must recognize this situations, and do an examination of our conscience and seek for reconciliation with our brothers and sisters.
But this is challenging. Very challenging.
This doesnt always mean just ask forgiveness. It absolutely include accepting the appologies. Even though that can be challenging.
Lets ask our Lord in this day to give us the wisdom and humbleness to recognize our faults against our neighbours and the corage and humility to go meet them and reconcile. Ask forgiveness and forgive.
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