Article July 25, 2011 Issue

If ‘thy brother hath aught against thee . . .’

Mary Ann Cahill

About two and a half years ago, I was drawn into a family dispute with a brother I love deeply. He was so upset and offended that he asked another relative and me—we were both staying with him—to leave. 

Since that time, I had tried unsuccessfully to contact him by e-mail, mail, and phone, but with no response. However, when I prayed and thought of my brother, I could think only of the love I felt for him and the expectation of reconciliation.

Recently, I was praying about an unrelated matter, when I woke up one morning thinking about verses 23 and 24 from the fifth chapter of Matthew, which say, “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” 

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Family harmony—it’s possible!