First Discourse in Matthew: Anger

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ~ Matthew 5:21-26
We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life's needs. ~ Martin Luther, on the 5th Commandment, "You are not to kill."

Before communion each week in church we share the peace with each other. It's generally a pretty happy moment of worship where congregational members greet each other...sometimes pausing to chat with a friend or someone they need to touch base with.

 We tease each other at Grace that we'd like it to go on forever. In that way, it feels like we are living into Martin Luther's words that we are to help and support each other. We are to care about each other; lift each other up. That's the opposite of Jesus and Luther's admonition against killing.

 But I've been in congregations where there are some other notable things going on during the sharing of the peace: where people who dislike or are angry with each other make a point to ignore each other - or just go to the other side of the worship space so they can avoid each other.

 But the sharing of the peace is the time that we are able to live into Jesus' words here. Where we are to be reconciled with each other before we come to the Lord's table. It is with the very people we are angry that the peace is meant to be shared.

 It's tough stuff to say that anger is killing. But as anger seeps deeper and deeper into our relationships, it does kill bits of our souls. It kills bits of our hearts.

And so it estranges us not just from each other, but from our true selves: the selves that were created by love and for love.
Prayer: Bring life to my relationships, Lord, and help me do so as well. Amen

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