sister is liable, to be brought before the council. Whoever calls a brother or sister “Fool!” is liable, of being thrown into the fire of hell.
So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there,
in front of the altar; go at once, and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. Don’t forget this:
be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will
hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There, you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.

REFLECTION:
The Pharisees and the Scribes were basically good people. But for them, being righteous before the Lord is focused on the external obedience
to the letter of the Law, forgetting the more important things like mercy, sensitivity and concern for others.
The righteousness that ­Jesus wants from us begins with the heart. Killing begins with anger in the heart. We simply cannot be good
without being good inside. As human persons we are capable of pretending to do what is externally just without meaning it inside.
But God wants us to be people of integrity, that what we do externally is rightly coming from our heart.
As Christians, we are called to follow the Lord Jesus who lived his life according to a heart that is faithful to the Father.
Let us pray that our words, actions and devotions will truly come from a heart that loves God, a heart that sees everyone as brothers and sisters.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2020