Homily for Thursday, 12 June 2014– Ferial

Thursday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time 

Readings of the day: 1 Kings 18:41-46; Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13; Matthew 5:20-26

How many of us have ever been angry with another person? I suspect that most of us, at one time or another, have been angry with another person, often someone we love dearly.

Anger, especially when it is against someone close to us, can be distressing; can weigh on our consciences. How many of us, after having been angry with someone, have thought: Did my anger go too far? In my anger, did I fail to recognize the dignity of the person against whom I am angry? Am I holding a grudge or behaving in a passive-aggressive way? Were my angry words and actions sinful? Maybe I should seek reconciliation with the person with whom I am angry; maybe apologize if I were in the wrong. I may want to receive the sacrament of reconciliation (which is always a good idea, especially if we have not celebrated this beautiful sacrament in some time)…

Jesus says in our Gospel reading today, part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel, “Whoever is angry with his brother” or sister “will be liable to judgment.” Jesus does not say that being angry is itself sinful; only that anger may lead us to sin if we hold onto it and do not seek reconciliation with the one with whom we are angry.

Jesus goes on to say in today’s Gospel reading: “If you… recall that your brother [or sister] has anything against you… go first and be reconciled with your brother [or sister], and then come and offer your gift.”

Anger itself, then, is not a sin. We know of instances in our Gospels in which Jesus himself got angry. But the way in which deal with our anger insofar as whether we seek reconciliation or not with those with whom we are angry may or may not be sinful.

I find it especially remarkable in the Gospel reading we hear today that Jesus asks us to be pro-active in seeking reconciliation with those with whom we are angry. Let us hear Jesus’ words again: “If you… recall that your brother [or sister] has anything against you… go first and be reconciled with your brother” or sister. Go first; do not wait for the other person to make the first move toward communication; toward reconciliation. Instead of thinking primarily of what we have against our brother or our sister, Jesus asks us first to think of what our brother or sister may have against us; for what we are called to express sorrow and to seek repentance. Anything short of this is an excuse; is a barrier to reconciliation and may well be a near occasion of sin.

Have we ever been angry with another person? I suspect that most of us would answer “yes” to this question. We are human; anger is part of being human. Jesus himself got angry. But how many of us have pro-actively sought reconciliation with someone who has made us angry or when we have angered another? This is what Jesus invites in our Gospel us to reflect upon and to put into action: Go first and be reconciled.