PERSONAL FAITH
The sign of the cross is central to the Christian faith. By the
cross, we were saved. The cross is the primary symbol of our salvation. Every
Christian is marked by it and called to live by it. Whenever we pray or
worship, we sign ourselves with the cross. The cross can have many meanings.
Two figures mark the cross: a
vertical and a horizontal. Marking ourselves with the sign of the cross is
reminding ourselves of the two inseparable dimensions of our faith. The
vertical dimension marks our covenant relationship with God. The horizontal
dimension marks our covenant relationship with our neighbors.
Today, Jesus highlights the
horizontal dimension of the faith when He clearly emphasized that our longing
to be reconciled with God must be expressed in a longing to be reconciled with
our neighbor. In fact, Jesus makes the latter a requirement for the former. His
words could not be any less clear: “If you bring your gift to the altar and
there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift at the
altar, go first to be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer
your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). Later on, Jesus will turn this teaching into a
command.
This is the reason why Jesus
designed the forgiveness of sins to be realized through the ministry of
priesthood. “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do
not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:23). When we sin, we wound
not only our covenant with God. We also wound our covenant with our neighbor.
The priest hearing our confession represents the vertical and horizontal
dimensions of our faith. As a minister of Christ, we receive God’s forgiveness
from the priest. As a human being, we receive the forgiveness of the human
community as well.
Let us live our faith to the
full. Faith is always personal but it is never private. Fr. Joel
Jason
REFLECTION QUESTION: In what areas of your faith-walk is the
social dimension missing or neglected?
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