Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 15, 2019
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.”
Today’s Gospel commands us: “go first and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift.”
These words echo those of the Lord’s Prayer –“forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” As we hold hands and profess these words in unison during Mass, how often do we truly take them, and this command, to heart? Do we fully reconcile with others before offering and receiving the Eucharistic gift?
It is easy to separate our relationship with the Lord from our relationships with our brothers and sisters. Even if we offer ourselves to the Lord, asking for mercy for our own sins, we often still hold frustration, resentment or anger in our hearts toward those who have wronged us. Today’s Gospel reminds us that we cannot have one type of relationship with God and another with our brothers and sisters.
As I reflect upon today’s Gospel passage, I recognize I have often created this separation in my own life. While actively asking the Lord for forgiveness, I convince myself that turning the other cheek and offering forgiveness to others through my actions is sufficient, regardless of the grievances I may hold in my heart. In doing this, I ask the Lord for a reconciliation that I do not fully offer to my brothers and sisters.
How can we ask for forgiveness from God if we are not willing to offer the same forgiveness to each other? How can we claim to love God if we do not love each other?
Real virtue lies in our hearts just as much as in our actions. May we use this Lenten season to keep this message in the forefront of our minds. And, as we offer our sacrifices of reconciliation to the Lord, let us offer them also to each other.
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 go a 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
St. Longinus is known as the Roman centurion who stood at the foot of the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion and speared his side with a lance.
The Gospel of John tells of blood and water spilling from Jesus’ body. Matthew and Mark tell us that this soldier was converted when he witnessed Jesus’ death and the earthquake and mid-day darkness that followed, saying, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
In the Gospel accounts, this soldier is unnamed; it is likely that the name Longinus is simply derived from the word for “lance.” The Christian community told stories about the rest of this soldier’s life, but many of the tales are legends, and historically unverifiable. Some accounts have him leaving the life of a soldier and living as a monk. Some tell that he was martyred by Pilate for his confession of Jesus as the Son of God.
Relics of St. Longinus rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and he is depicted in stained glass in the Basilica in several places. In this window, he receives a vision of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Longinus is on the bottom right side of the window holding a lance, while kneeling with the great saints Francis, Augustine, and Ignatius.
St. Longinus is associated with the Sacred Heart of Jesus because more than any other character in Jesus’ passion, he had the closest physical experience of Jesus’ sacrificial death in love for us all. He became a believer when he pierced Jesus’ heart with his spear and witnessed water and blood flow from it.
Theologians associate the water and blood that flowed from Jesus’ side with the waters of baptism and the blood of Christ we receive in the Eucharist—sacraments that constitute us as a Church. Longinus, therefore, stands as a model for Christians. We, too, seek conversion by encountering the water and blood that flow from Christ—by renewing our baptismal promises and participating in the Eucharist.
St. Longinus, the centurion who was converted when you pierced Jesus’ Sacred Heart—pray for us!