State super vias et videte et interrogate de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona et ambulate in ea et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris

30 Jun 2014

Seeking Reconciliation

Ad Castorinam materteram

Iohannes idem apostolus et evangelista in epistula sua ait: quicumque odit fratrem suum, homicida est, et recte. Cum homicidium ex odio saepe nascatur, quicumque odit, etiam si gladio necdum percusserit, animo tamen homicida est. “cur,” ais, “tale principium?” Sicilicet ut veteri rancore deposito mundum pectoris deo paremus habitaculum. Irascimini, inquit David, et nolite peccare. hoc quid velit intellegi, apostolus plenius interpretatur: sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram. Quid agimus nos in die iudicii, super quorum ira non unius diei, sed tantorum annorum sol testis occubuit? Dominus loquitur in evangelios: si offeres munus tuum ad altare ibique rememoratus fueris, quia frater tuus habet aliquid adversum te, relinque ibi munus tuum ante altare et vade prius reconciliari fratri tuo, et sic offeres munus tuum. Vae mihi misero, ne dicam et tibi, qui tanto tempore aut non obtuli munus ad altare aut ira permanente sine causa obtuli! Quomodo in cotidiana prece umquam diximus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, animo discordante cum verbis, oratione dissidente cum factis? Precor itaque, quod et ante annum prioribus litteris rogaveram, ut pacem, quam nobis dominus reliquit, habeamus, et meum desiderium et tuam mentem Christus intuetur: in brevi ante tribunal eius reconciliata seu scissa concordia aut praemium recuperabit aut poenam. quod si tu, quod procul absit, nolueris, ego libero ero; epistula me haec, cum lecta fuerit, absolvet.

Santus Hieronymus, Epistola XIII

Source: Migne PL 22 346-7
To Aunt Castorina

John the Apostle and Evangelist in his Epistle says: 'Whoever hates his brother is a murderer.' 1 And rightly. Since murder often springs from hate, he who hates, even though he has not yet struck with the sword, is a murderer in his soul. 'Why', you ask, 'do you begin so?' Simply that we might dispose of old rancor and cleanse our hearts to be a habitation for God. David says, 'Be angry and sin not. 2 That which he wishes understood the Apostle more fully expresses: 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' 3 What then shall we do in the day of judgment, upon whose wrath the sun has gone down on not one day but many years? The Lord says in the Gospel: 'If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you; leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.' 4 Woe to me, wretch that I am; woe, I had almost said, to you also. This long time past we have either offered no gift at the altar, or we have offered it while cherishing anger without a cause. How have we been able in our daily prayers to say: 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,' 5 while our feelings have been at variance with our words, and our petition inconsistent with our actions? Therefore I pray for that which I have asked in letters of previous years, that we might have that peace which the Lord left us, and that Christ might look down on my wishes and your mind. Soon we shall be brought together before his tribunal to receive the reward of reconciliation or to taste punishment for harmony broken. If you should be unwilling in this, and may it not be so, I for my part shall be free. For this letter, when it is read, will absolve me.

Saint Jerome, Letter 13

1 1 Jn 3.15
2 Ps 4.4
3 Ephes 4.26
4 Mt 5.23
5 Mt 6.12