Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 14, 2025
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
Reflection
Today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew is probably the least popular part of the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus begins with the Beatitudes, a litany of blessings of the poor, the mourning, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, and so on. I admit, it is edifying to imagine myself as any one of those “blesseds.” Meek? Sure! Merciful? Manifestly so! Peacemaking? Of course! Granted, such self-estimations rarely hold up to the scrutiny of any real examination of conscience, but it’s nice while it lasts.
That being said, it doesn’t last long. By verse 20, in which Jesus dares me to quantify my righteousness and to measure it against the Pharisees, I become very certain that my righteousness does not surpass theirs. Or anyone’s, really.
The Sermon continues with the so-called “Antitheses,” in which Jesus appears to contrast the statements of the Law with his own teaching: “You have heard it said… but I tell you.” According to theologian Hans Dieter-Betz, it was the heretic Marcion who named these verses the “Antitheses” to draw a division between the Law and the teaching of Jesus, ignoring that Jesus just a few verses earlier declares that he has not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.
Yes, we have heard the commandment against murder, and I can happily report that I have kept it. But is murder all that foreign to me, at least in its principle? In today’s reading, Jesus is not caricaturing the law as forbidding only the most grievous sins; rather, Jesus is telling us that the difference between anger and murder is a difference of degree, at least with respect to the human heart. The demands of righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount were demanded first by the Law of Moses. Yet, like “the people long ago,” we might all too easily set about the business of appearing righteous rather than attending to our impure hearts.
Prayer
Lord, as we get older, we realize more and more the truth that anger exacts a high price. Anger that stews and ferments, day after day, is a prison of our own making. So please help us in a special way today. Grant us the grace of reconciliation where it’s needed. Or maybe we need to step back and ask for the grace to desire to be reconciled. Either way, we yearn to be free from the angry prison in which we’ve placed ourselves—help us grow towards your kingdom. Amen.
Saint of the Day
As queen, Matilda paid special attention to the poor of the kingdom—her subjects knew her more as a loving mother than as a ruler.
She was born in 895 in Germany to a royal family. She was raised by her grandmother, who was the abbess of a convent, and ensured that Matilda was well-educated and faithful in her prayer and devotion. Matilda married Henry, who ascended to the German throne shortly after they had their first child together. She was liberal in her charity, which never bothered Henry, who had confidence in her judgment and goodness.
Henry and Matilda shared five children, one of whom, Bruno, is also known as a saint. Another, Otto, became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Henry spent much time at war, but unified the German people into one kingdom.
After 23 years of marriage, Henry died suddenly, and Matilda was left a widow. Her son, Otto, was elected to the throne, which began a conflict with a brother. The two reconciled, but neither had Henry’s patience with Matilda’s generosity, and they accused her of squandering wealth.
She was exiled for a time, but eventually returned to the royal household and was reconciled with her son, Otto. When he was crowned emperor, he left her in charge of the kingdom, and she established three convents and a monastery. She spent her old age at the convent where she was raised.
St. Matilda’s relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus, and she is also depicted in the stained glass windows of the Basilica. Our featured image of a larger window Matilda holds a scepter and coins as a sign of her generosity to the poor. A second window, shown above, depicts Matilda in prayer with her two sons conspiring in envy behind her. St. Matilda is the patron saint of widows and a patron saint and intercessor for parents who have conflicts with their grown children.
St. Matilda, patron saint of widows and kind queen who cared for the poor despite ridicule from your own children—pray for us!