Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Anger, someone once said, is like an acid that does more danger to the vessel that carries it than the object it is intended to be used against.
Think about it. Does my anger harm me more than the person I am angry with? Usually, it does.
Today, Jesus links anger and murder. In fact, he equates the two. Now, we know that there is a righteous anger that comes when we see an injustice. Jesus himself got angry. Read the story of Jesus casting out the money changers in the temple.
But there is a type of anger that can grab hold of us – it makes our blood boil until our head wants to explode. The only relief? Forgiveness. When we let go of those things that tie us to past hurts (even when reconciliation is not possible) we can find the freedom of God’s children.
Ultimately, Jesus calls for a change of heart. His heart is love. What, then, is my heart made of?