In this section you can find a daily commentary on the Gospel of the Day.

Friday 3 March 2023

First Week of Lent

Word for today
The Gospel of Matthew 5:20-26

Peace at once, forgiveness always

Jesus often insists in the Gospel in pointing out that it is an essential life priority to make peace, to agree with one another, to use the art of forgiveness always and as soon as possible in every way and with all our forces. Jesus highlights that the kind of peace, forgiveness, harmony, and unity that we are able to establish on earth will not only generate quality of life and well-being here but will also determine the quality and well-being of our immortal life in in the afterlife. Jesus affirms, according to His wisdom, that if we succeed in preferring peace and sharing, forgiveness and unity here on this earth above and beyond everything else, that will have consequences on the quality of our immortal life in the afterlife. An earthly life whose first priority is not peace and forgiveness will lead to a very sad, immortal life in the afterlife, which Jesus exemplifies using the image of a jail - in greek fylaké –, a jail in the afterlife where we have to pay our debts for every non loving moment, for not having chosen peace, sharing and forgiveness. 
In the Gospel passage the urgency and importance of choosing peace and forgiveness is indicated using the greek adverb tachy, “soon, in haste, without hesitation” as if to say that once we know how crucial is to live peacefully on earth in order to achieve immortal life, it would definitely be better to choose peace, even if not out of faith and love, but at least out of craftiness and calculation, rather than turing our back on peace. Peace at once, forgiveness always, otherwise the present life will become a hell and the immortal one a jail without end.