Friday, First Week of Lent

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, "You fool," will be liable to fiery Gehenna, Matthew 5:22



It's not hard to know that words hurt. That anger is not healthy, how we somehow put ourselves in a fiery hot bed. All it ends up doing is causing much trouble. Jesus teaches us to forgive, yet we, on many occasions have opportunities to do that and we fail. How we go to the table of the Lord with the slander of those we dislike on our lips. It's not only from our mouths but our thoughts too. How often do you sit and judge another and think them a fool for some unknown reason. Or pass judgement on a mother who lets her child run amok, calling her a fool, or idiot. Or if our family displeases us in some way or another, where we become angry with them, yet we do not forgive them, but go on daily with this within our hearts. Can we say we will receive in clean hearts our Lord then at Communion, without forgiving or asking forgiveness, and meaning it.

Calling people names is not Christian, yet we do it many times a day. Take a day and just pay attention, to your speach to another or your own thought of another. Take a day and really listen to those around you, how we speak of each other. Pay attention, you might be amazed to what you find. If you can do this for one day, try it for another day, make a conscious effort to do this. I do this daily, myself, I make a conscious effort to stop any unkind thoughts, I listen to those around me, speak unkindly of others. I shudder at the many unkind remarks that flow daily. So, for those who are reading this, please try. You will truly be amazed.

Unless your in holy company then there just may be an exception.