In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us that charity matters just as much as justice does. We’re easy to anger when we feel someone has wronged us, but it is exactly in those moments where we should strive not to fall into rash condemnations. It’s no coincidence that we begin each celebration of the Eucharist with a Penitential Act for what we’ve done, and exchange a sign of peace before we receive Holy Communion. We may still be upset, but if we have the inner disposition of trying to forgive or seek forgiveness it’ll give us a deeper peace, a peace that can be nourished by receiving the Eucharist into reconciliation.
Our Lord today also invites us to consider the other’s position when we’ve been wronged or have wronged. We need to put ourselves on “test trial” to see how right we really are, and how wrong the other might actually be. It may be a moment of humility where we realize that maybe we weren’t as entitled to what we thought, or might be overreacting to a slight that was more imagined that real.
Let’s ask Our Lord for the meekness and humility that helps make charity matter in our lives.
Readings: 1 Kings 18:41–46; Psalm 65:10–13; Matthew 5:20–26. See also 1st Week of Lent, Friday and 10th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.