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February 26, 2021In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns about the dangers of unjust anger. He challenges us to not let hard feelings stand between us and our brother (or sister) in Christ. Such an attitude puts a barrier between us and the Lord. How can we approach the altar in good faith when lingering resentment stands between us and another child of God? Before receiving communion, we recite the most challenging words of the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This is so important that the Lord repeats it after teaching this prayer (Mt 6:14-15). How can we be properly disposed to receive our Lord if we hold grudges?
This teaching on anger at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount seems to respond to at least the first three of the beatitudes dealing with the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers. The meek, in that it oftentimes requires tremendous humility to admit wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. The merciful, in that it can be exceedingly difficult to forgive a deeply hurtful action, especially from someone close to us. The peacemakers, in that the last thing I may be inclined to desire is reconciliation with a difficult person.
The final verses of the Gospel reading warn those who do not accept Jesus’ teaching. In contrast, the prophet Ezekiel in the first reading provides hope: for the one “turning away from the wickedness he has committed…he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Ez 18:27, 28). As we prepare for Easter, we want to keep in mind that Jesus is the reason we can hope for everlasting life. “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Rom 6:4).
