February 23, 2024 Friday of the First Week of Lent
Memorial of Saint Polycarp, bishop and martyr
Daily Readings: Ezekiel 18:21–28, Matthew 5:20–26
The God in whom we believe is a kind and merciful God. He is not an auditor who constantly checks and takes inventory. He scrutinizes our hearts to see if we have kept Him in His rightful place. He wants us to keep returning to him. The one who returns with a penitent heart will live. God vouches and says, “None of the transgressions that they committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done, they shall live” (Ezekiel 18:22). He does not take pleasure in our destruction.
And yet, we have to make sure that we abandon our treacherous activities. We will pay the price if we continue to walk down the path of guilt and sin. The human tendency is to always find fault with not only other humans but also with God. All that the Lord God desires from us is to remain pure and holy. And when we commit any sin, we properly return it to Him.
Today’s gospel reading from St. Matthew is part of the Sermon on the Mountain. Jesus’ teaching on righteousness continues. It is not only about not committing murder, but also, more importantly, avoiding occasions to murder through one's irresponsible behavior. Murder is as serious as the anger and hatred that cause someone to commit any heinous crime. It is important to treat headaches, but it is also good to identify the root cause of headaches and treat them.
Similarly, we must deal with whatever causes us to think of killing someone. Equal importance is also given to treating ‘the other’ as one’s brothers and sisters. The Christian community is known for its worship, where we express our devotion, love, and gratitude to God. If we do not reconcile ourselves with our brothers or sisters, or if we refuse to forgive others, offering worship with a heavy heart will reduce the sacrifice to a mere ritual. God doesn’t want our rituals, but a reconciled heart.
The call to action for Catholic Living: How pleasing will it be to God every time we gather around him in prayer and worship with reconciled hearts?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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