“As members of one Body, each is responsible for the health of the whole Body... to reconcile when a neighbor has no peace with us, even when we are not to blame.”

- Arch. Zacharias, Remember Thy First Love, pg 295. 

Reflection: 

We are all members of Christ’s Body, the Church(1). As members of the Body of Christ, we are responsible to live our life in Christ, through Whom we are transfigured into our best-most authentic self.  We continually grow through repentance, for the health of the entire Body of Christ.  

St Paul reminds us, “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”(2)  Do we consider and interact with everyone around us, and those we encounter even online, in this manner? 

Christ tells us that in order to live a life in Him, we must first reconcile with our brother(3) (neighbor). We cannot truly offer our lives to God, while holding resentment.  Forgiveness(4), our hearts being at peace with one another, is necessary in order for us to authentically offer anything to God, to truly love Him and our neighbor. 

Archimandrite Zachariah reminds us, that even when people have something against us regardless of whether it is justified or not, our Lord wants us to follow His example and do what we can to bring peace between us and our neighbor. 

In a time when tensions are high, we may slip into judging and experiencing harsh feelings toward others. Christ, His Gospel, and our responsibility for the Body of Christ do not pause for any season, nor offer exceptions for any event during the year.  Christ is the only Truth.(5)

We are accountable and responsible for every word, deed or even thought - no matter how that word, deed or thought is expressed. We must be the light of Christ in the world, which so desperately needs His love and peace. 

Let us strive to release any resentment from our own hearts through our repentance and confession(6), so that we may bring peace to others and be able, with assuredness and authenticity, to offer our prayers and lives to God with a pure heart.  

Resources:

1) 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

2) 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

3) Matthew 5:23-24

4) One Example of Forgiveness

5) John 14:6

6) On Confession and Repentance