In Sunday’s homily, Fr. Jerome Leckband reminded us that the Ten Commandments were not given to enslave us, but to guide those already set free. Just as God rescued Israel from Egypt before giving them the law, so He sets us free from sin through Holy Baptism before calling us to live holy lives. The commandments describe the life of the redeemed—they don’t earn us righteousness, but show how the righteous, made so by faith in Christ, are to live.
Jesus challenges the shallow righteousness of the Pharisees, showing that sin begins not just in outward actions, but deep in the heart. Anger, left unchecked, leads to bitterness, pride, and even hatred. Rather than justify our anger, we are called to examine it, confess it, and seek reconciliation. Jesus says that if we approach the altar but harbor resentment against a brother, we must first seek peace before offering our gift.
God has made peace with us in Christ, forgiving our sins and reconciling us to Himself. As free people, we now live out that peace by confessing our own wrongs, forgiving those who wrong us, and treating our anger not as a right but as a sin to be laid before God. Love for God and love for neighbor are indivisible. In Christ, we are freed not to hate, but to live in peace with one another. “When God gives this peace to us, He also fills us with his Spirit so that we may learn to love as we have been loved.” Listen to the entire homily here.
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 