💖 HOMILY - FEBRUARY 27 💖

First Reading - Ezekiel 18:21-28 

Gospel - Matthew 5:20-26

We often measure goodness by comparison. We feel secure when we see that we are better than someone else, more observant, more disciplined, more faithful. Yet the Word of God today challenges that comfortable standard. It calls us beyond external correctness into a deeper righteousness of the heart.

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel speaks to a people who believed that their fate was sealed by the sins of others or by their past. But God makes something very clear: each person is responsible for his own choices. If a wicked person turns away from sin and does what is right, he shall live. If a righteous person turns away from righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die. The message is both sobering and hopeful.

It is sobering because we cannot rely on past goodness. Yesterday’s faithfulness does not excuse today’s injustice. But it is hopeful because no one is trapped by past sin. God does not delight in punishment. He desires conversion. The door to life is always open to the one who turns back sincerely.

In the Gospel, Jesus raises the standard even further. He says that unless our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and Pharisees were known for strict observance of the law. Yet Jesus points to something deeper than outward obedience.

He takes the commandment “You shall not kill” and traces it to its root: anger, insult, resentment. It is possible to avoid murder while still carrying hatred in the heart. Jesus reveals that reconciliation is essential. If you come to offer your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, first be reconciled. Worship and relationships cannot be separated. A divided heart cannot offer true praise.

This teaching forces us to examine the interior landscape of our lives. Are there grudges we continue to justify? Words spoken in anger that we have not sought to repair? Silent judgments we carry toward others? True righteousness is not only about what we avoid doing, but about the love we actively cultivate.

Dear friends, conversion is always possible and always necessary. The past does not imprison us, but neither does it guarantee us. What matters is the direction of our heart today.

Lent is a privileged time to take this seriously. God promises life to the one who turns away from sin. Jesus calls us to reconcile before we worship. The path to deeper communion with God runs through forgiveness, humility, and renewed love.

If we dare to let go of anger and pride, if we choose reconciliation over resentment, we step into the life that God desires for us. For he does not seek our condemnation, but our transformation. And when the heart changes, everything else begins to follow.