Ezekiel 33: 7-9
Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-9
Romans 13: 8-10
Matthew 18: 15-20
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? He's made it quite clear to Peter, and to all of us in last week's Gospel: you have to take up your cross and follow him. For most of us, the hardest crosses to acknowledge are of our own making. We hold onto grudges, thirst for revenge, and resist being the one to take the first step toward reconciliation.
But Scripture clearly says that "God is Love"- and in perfect love, there is no room for any of that. Our baptism makes us a member of Christ's Body, and within that Body, division and discord can only cause pain. Rather, the sacrament of baptism effectively brings us into new life- the life of Jesus Christ, and causes us to die to our old, self-centered way of living. But that's a process that takes a life time of practice: learning to live, in Love, for others. We call that practice 'conversion'- and it begins with honesty, gentleness and patience.
- How do you react when someone wrongs you?
- Have you considered the presence of Christ among you and your offender?
No comments:
Post a Comment