Friday of the First Week of Lent
Almost inevitably, siblings come into conflict. Growing up, my sister and I certainly did. While the two of us generally got along well, self-will would regularly rear its ugly head, and we would end up in a fight or a disagreement. In those cases, our mother would usually be the agent of reconciliation, bidding us apologize and make up before we moved on to the next activity or part of the day. And I know many other mothers (and fathers) act the same way.
This example of a mother who urges her children to reconciliation connects with an even more fundamental call that we hear in today’s Gospel. As Jesus says, 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. Like a parent, God desires that we reconcile with one another; even more, this effort to reconcile with one another is the indispensable means through which we are reconciled with God. It reminds us of the words of the Our Father from Tuesday’s Gospel reading: forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Today, let us ponder this love of God who so desires to draw humanity together to himself in love that he makes our reconciliation with him inseparable from our reconciliation with one another. And let us pray for the grace to seek reconciliation and work ceaselessly toward it.