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The Time After Pentecost
He had to be angry, to demand justice, to ask the Father to send Him legions of angels that
they might destroy His enemies! But instead He covers all the iniquity and blindness of men
with His mantle of love, impressing the sign of peace on them: “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). Indeed, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
“If thou offer thy gift at the altar.” We daily offer our gift of bread and wine at the altar, and with
bread and wine we offer ourselves and our will to live entirely for God. We are most sincere in our
self-immolation. We expect, therefore, His countenance to shine graciously upon us, as it once
shone upon Abel’s sacrifice. “For God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). But there is another
dark shadow on our soul; perhaps we are troubled by some tension, some ill-feeling, some discord
with our brother, perhaps on account of a mere trifle. The guilt is, to some degree at least, on our
side. Neither will speak the first word of peace. The world is big enough that we can avoid each
other and find our way to God without our brother. One enmity or friendship more or less can
hardly matter. Thus we come to the altar asking God’s blessing; but there awaits us an unexpected
reception: “Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother.”
“Blessed are the peace-makers.” They alone will reap the full blessing of the Holy Sacrifice.
No one can celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass and gain its blessing for his own self alone without
his brother. The Mass is, by its very essence, the sacrifice of the entire body of Christ united
in holy love, a sacrifice of the community. Together we pray; together we sacrifice; together
the priest and the entire congregation offer to God this divine gift. We offer this sacrifice for
all here present, for the entire Catholic Church in the whole world. How could we possibly
offer this sacrifice worthily if we, through our own guilt, are the cause of discord with only
one member of this community. If, during the day, we want to offer our efforts, work, and
sufferings to God, but live, through our own guilt, in disharmony with a brother in Christ, we
shall hear again: “Leave there thy offering. I am not inclined to accept it.” And coming to the
tabernacle, offering Him our heart, we shall hear again: “Leave there thy offering. It cannot
please Me. Go first to be reconciled to thy brother. Make peace.” The altar is a place of peace.
He who lives in discord is not allowed to approach it.
How few there are who take the Lord’s warning seriously! “If thou offer thy gift at the altar, and
there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before
the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother.” There is too much excitement, nervousness,
tension, and discord among those who sacrifice even daily, too much of the “eye for an eye,
tooth for a tooth” attitude of the Old Testament. Is it not time for us to take our Lord’s warning
seriously? Is He not bound to tell us, when we come to the Holy Sacrifice: Either have peace
with thy brother, or keep thy offering? It is love toward our neighbor that counts.
“Except your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven” (Gospel). Wherein is our justice and piety tested? It is tested in our
will to love our brother and work with him. Love opens the door to the altar, to the common
sacrifice of Christ and His Church, to the reception of Holy Communion.
Prayer
We beseech Thee, O Lord, to look down upon our prayers and graciously accept these gifts of
Thy servants and handmaids, that what each has offered to the honor of Thy name may profit
all unto salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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