MAKING A SETTLEMENT! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Daily Reflections

Thursday, 15^th June 2017.

Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

2 Cor 3:15 – 4:1,3-6;

Ps 85:9-14;

Mt 5:20-26

MAKING A SETTLEMENT!

Sin just doesn’t happen; it first grows like a seed in one’s heart. Unless it is mastered by God’s grace, it grows like a weed and chokes the life out of us. Jesus points to the heart as the seat of desire, choice and intention. Unless our evil desires are uprooted the heart will be poisoned to be a slave to passion. Jesus illustrates this point with the example of the commandment to not kill. Murder first starts as the seed of forbidden anger that grows until it springs into words and actions against one’s brother. This is a selfish anger that broods and is long-lived, that nurses a grudge and keeps wrath warm and refuses to die. Therefore, Jesus warns us to root out this anger by receiving his grace. What is the antidote to overcome such anger and rage? Embrace mercy, forbearance and kindness which will spring up from a heart full of mercy and compassion.

The key is that Jesus wants us reconciled to Him and to one another. He wants all anger, bitterness and resentment removed from our souls. He says to us “Settle with your opponent quickly on the way to court with him.” In other words, apologize and be reconciled before we find ourselves before the judgment seat of divine justice. God however does not accept obstinacy, which is a serious sin and one that cannot be forgiven. The penalty is that God will exercise His justice upon us until we finally repent. And this is an act of love and mercy on God’s part because His judgment is focused especially upon our sin which is the only thing standing in the way of our love of God and others. Pray that God will show the way to being freed of that burden so that we can enjoy true freedom!

Prayer: Lord, help me to forgive and to forget. Help me to seek anything that keeps me from fully loving You and all my neighbors. Purify my heart, oh Lord. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.