June 12, 2008: Scripture reflection

Scripture: Thursday of Tenth Week in Ordinary time: I Kings 18:41-46.
Psalm 65:10.10-11.12-13. Matthew 5:20-26. Lectionary # 362:

The Sermon on the Mount continues and now Jesus tells us to control
our tempers and our passion of anger. This means not even thinking angry
epithets against another! Tough commands for our culture of violent
games, movies, and bullying. Anger is rarely justified even though we hear
of "justifiable anger." This part of the Sermon is one we all need to hear
and to do something about. It is one of the most powerful parts of the
Sermon and has this great spiritual advice: "If you bring your gift to the
altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, go first
to be reconciled with your brother and then come offer your gift." (Matthew
5:24).
There is a certain urgency in what Jesus is saying here. We need to
clear ourselves with feelings of anger against another, with unkind words
or disgusting epithets that make a fool of another person and be
reconciled. The sun should not set upon us before we are reconciled.
This takes courage, humility, and honesty with ourselves in our
relationships. The Mishnah (a textbook which gives us the Oral Law) says
that one's sins against our neighbor are not forgiven on the Day of
Atonement unless we are first reconciled with the other person whom we have
hurt. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation a Catholic confesses his or her
sins against another but also must make sure there is an effort not to
allow this sin not to happen again ( it is called "a firm purpose of
amendment").
Before our prayers in a Temple, a Church, a synagogue or a mosque we
should offer to God our inward gifts of kindness to our brothers and
sisters, patience in aggravating situations, and control of our aggressive
passions. Perhaps, the more subtle control in ordinary situations is not
to inflict our moods on others. Amen.