Foreign the gospel for the Friday of the first week in Lent is taken from Matthew 5th, chapter 20:26 Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, you shall not kill, and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever says to his brother Raca will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, you fool, will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you. Leave your gift there at the altar.

Go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. The image that strikes me in this reading is the image of the kingdom of heaven.

A lot of times we say to each other, that’s just heaven, you know? And it’s so interesting that it’s clear that the essence of a place that is heavenly is a place of love, understanding, and compassion, free of judgment. So I ask you to open your heart to that kingdom and seek it with all your heart. The Closing Prayer Father, you ask us to check always and to pay attention to our intention. The critical side of us often is engaged in something that we don’t want to honor, and that is the responsibility we have to be there for one another and not to tear one another down. So bless us with the kingdom of heaven.

Amen.