Post-feast of Pentecost; our Venerable Father and Confessor Michael, Bishop of Synada (826); Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk, Hegumena of the Monastery of the Holy Saviour (1173)
Fast-free day
Read
Romans 1:18-27; Matthew 5:20-26
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
At the beginning of the Liturgicon of the priest, there is a reminder for him about how he should prepare for the Divine Liturgy. One reminder is that he should hold nothing against anyone else. We see in today’s Gospel reading how this is a standard that all members of the body of Christ should hold.
What does it say about our faith in the power of reconciliation if we receive the Eucharist while we are not reconciled to our brother or sister? How are we to be followers of Christ if we reject the instructions He gives us? Christ sets us the highest example of forgiveness when He, on the cross, forgives those who crucified Him. That example, along with His words of instruction in today’s Gospel, are to be reminders that we are to always seek forgiveness and grant forgiveness to those who ask for it.