Word to the Wise
Thursday, June 11, 2015 - Thursday in the 10th Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Cor 3:15—4:1, 3-6 and Matt 5:20-26]Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift." [Matthew]
JUNE 11 ST. BARNABUS, apostle
[Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3 replaces 2 Cor. for the feast day]
If we all took this teaching of Jesus to heart, I think our church attendance might drop but those who come would feel better about being there! Forgiveness and reconciliation have great power. They are not the same thing, however. Forgiveness is always possible for an individual. Reconciliation presumes more than one person and it cannot be forced. Reconciliation may require justice, i.e. repairing the damage done. Jesus could not be "reconciled"with Pilate and the soldiers who crucified him, but he was able to forgive them.
Jesus' teaching does challenge us to make the effort at reconciliation. When I suggest this in the "Sacrament of Reconciliation," I sometimes hear the penitent say, "He/she/they won't listen to me." Perhaps that will be true, but the effort must be made, and at least forgiveness take place. Indeed, the sacrament is not just for guilt relief, it is meant to challenge. The words, "firm purpose of amendment," mean taking action, not just promising to do better for a few days.
Jesus' words remind us that there is a connection between worship and everyday life. If we come to worship in a state of alienation that we refuse to try to resolve, we are coming with a divided heart. We will claim to love God but hate our neighbor! The Sermon on the Mount can make us squirm! AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
76 ms
4
