Readings for Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 3:15—4:1, 3-6
St. Paul continues his apologetic to the Christian converts in Corinth who were either being attacked by the unconverted Jewish population or who were still struggling with the Christian doctrine. Here he makes reference to the veil placed between the Torah and the people. The book is just words but the Holy Spirit of God transforms the words into actions which bring glory to God. Those who cannot understand or come to faith in the Gospel reject it because they have chosen to do so and that path leads to death (of the soul).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Psalm 85 is a song of thanksgiving. In this selection we hear praise for God’s salvation, for the saving works and the gift of the fruits of the earth.
Gospel Mt 5:20-26
In our reflection yesterday we spoke of Jesus reinterpreting the law. In this passage from Matthew’s Gospel we see that clearly. Here Jesus takes the law “You shall not kill” and moves it to the next level. He tells us that even anger brings a judgment from God. Here he traces the logic from thought to vulgar or abusive words to violent action. Where the Jewish Law forbids the action, Christian law forbids the antecedents as well.
The passage continues with the remedy for this action and a foundation for the sacrament of reconciliation. He instructs us to be reconciled with a person with whom we have bad feelings before coming to the altar. The consequences, he warns, are judgment and punishment.
Reflection:
It has been a couple of months since the great celebration of Easter and therefore even longer since the intense introspection of the Lenten Season. Today we are reminded that it is not just our actions that identify us to others but our attitudes as well.
We suppose that, unless we were perfect as Christ is perfect, there will always be an upwelling of anger as the events of our lives unfold. Actually when we become aware of how and how often these feelings are provoked, we come to appreciate how serine the Kingdom of Heaven must be. But what do we do about the here and now?
Even though we do our very best to remain outwardly calm in the face of provocative acts there will be times when our actions betray us. When we speak words in anger, directed at either another person or even a thing. It is at these times we must take ourselves firmly in hand and make sure we do not go any further. We must immediately run back to the Father for forgiveness. That does not mean we have to get to Confession that day. But it does mean that our prayer must include a request for forgiveness.
The real damage to us comes when we do not recognize that this attitude of anger is not going away. Anger of this sort, frequently a result of deep hurt caused by someone close to us, can fester like a cancer; it destroys the peace of Christ which should be something we bask in. It colors our actions and attitudes. It is this anger, especially, we need to reconcile and expose in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is also frequently something we might be embarrassed to bring forward. We must remember that our Lord sees our deepest secrets and hurts. We take it to the Confessional so that we can be reassured of God’s love and fell the peace that comes from that healing sacrament.
Is it time for a deep dive into a perfect act of contrition? Let us make sure, today, that we do not foster the anger that keeps us from Christ and enter confidently into his loving embrace.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Last Judgment” by Raphael Coxcie, ~1570
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 3:15—4:1, 3-6
St. Paul continues his apologetic to the Christian converts in Corinth who were either being attacked by the unconverted Jewish population or who were still struggling with the Christian doctrine. Here he makes reference to the veil placed between the Torah and the people. The book is just words but the Holy Spirit of God transforms the words into actions which bring glory to God. Those who cannot understand or come to faith in the Gospel reject it because they have chosen to do so and that path leads to death (of the soul).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Psalm 85 is a song of thanksgiving. In this selection we hear praise for God’s salvation, for the saving works and the gift of the fruits of the earth.
Gospel Mt 5:20-26
In our reflection yesterday we spoke of Jesus reinterpreting the law. In this passage from Matthew’s Gospel we see that clearly. Here Jesus takes the law “You shall not kill” and moves it to the next level. He tells us that even anger brings a judgment from God. Here he traces the logic from thought to vulgar or abusive words to violent action. Where the Jewish Law forbids the action, Christian law forbids the antecedents as well.
The passage continues with the remedy for this action and a foundation for the sacrament of reconciliation. He instructs us to be reconciled with a person with whom we have bad feelings before coming to the altar. The consequences, he warns, are judgment and punishment.
Reflection:
It has been a couple of months since the great celebration of Easter and therefore even longer since the intense introspection of the Lenten Season. Today we are reminded that it is not just our actions that identify us to others but our attitudes as well.
We suppose that, unless we were perfect as Christ is perfect, there will always be an upwelling of anger as the events of our lives unfold. Actually when we become aware of how and how often these feelings are provoked, we come to appreciate how serine the Kingdom of Heaven must be. But what do we do about the here and now?
Even though we do our very best to remain outwardly calm in the face of provocative acts there will be times when our actions betray us. When we speak words in anger, directed at either another person or even a thing. It is at these times we must take ourselves firmly in hand and make sure we do not go any further. We must immediately run back to the Father for forgiveness. That does not mean we have to get to Confession that day. But it does mean that our prayer must include a request for forgiveness.
The real damage to us comes when we do not recognize that this attitude of anger is not going away. Anger of this sort, frequently a result of deep hurt caused by someone close to us, can fester like a cancer; it destroys the peace of Christ which should be something we bask in. It colors our actions and attitudes. It is this anger, especially, we need to reconcile and expose in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is also frequently something we might be embarrassed to bring forward. We must remember that our Lord sees our deepest secrets and hurts. We take it to the Confessional so that we can be reassured of God’s love and fell the peace that comes from that healing sacrament.
Is it time for a deep dive into a perfect act of contrition? Let us make sure, today, that we do not foster the anger that keeps us from Christ and enter confidently into his loving embrace.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Last Judgment” by Raphael Coxcie, ~1570
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