On 1 Peter 3:8–15 and Matthew 5:20–24
As Holy Mother Church leads us through the Time after Pentecost—the season in which the fruits of the Holy Ghost are to be cultivated and harvested in the soul—the readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost call us to an interior conversion that reaches far beyond mere external observance.
“Be ye all of one mind” (1 Pet 3:8)
The Apostle Peter, Prince of the Apostles and first Vicar of Christ, exhorts the faithful to unity in spirit, compassion, and humility. His words are not mere moral exhortation, but an appeal to the very life of Christ within the believer. Unity of mind is not uniformity in opinion, but concord in charity, grounded in the truth of the Gospel.
St. Augustine, in his Commentary on the Psalms, echoes this when he writes:
“Let there be one mind in you, one heart, one soul; not that you should not have your own minds, but that your minds may not be at variance by loving different things.” (Enarrationes in Psalmos, Ps. 132)
This unity is expressed especially in meekness and mercy. The Apostle calls us not to return evil for evil but to bless even our persecutors. This finds its highest expression in Christ’s own prayer on the Cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Here we see not weakness but divine strength.
St. John Chrysostom reminds us:
“To suffer wrong and to bear it nobly is the part of a great and noble soul.” (Homilies on the Statues, Homily XV)
Thus, when St. Peter writes, “sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts,” he points to the inner sanctuary where the believer is to worship—not with burnt offerings but with the sacrifice of patience, humility, and love.
“Unless your justice exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees…” (Matt 5:20)
The Gospel draws us into the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, wherein Our Blessed Lord perfects the Old Law, not by destroying it, but by fulfilling and elevating it. The Pharisees were masters of the law’s letter, but they neglected its spirit. Christ requires a righteousness that penetrates deeper—a justice of the heart.
St. Gregory the Great interprets this passage thus:
“The righteousness of the Pharisees was concerned with outward observance; the righteousness of the Christian must surpass it, for it springs from the love of God in the heart.” (Homilies on the Gospels, II.12)
Our Lord’s teaching strikes directly at the roots of sin: not only is murder forbidden, but even anger in the heart is condemned; not only is the hand to be restrained, but the soul must be purified of wrath, pride, and contempt.
St. Jerome reflects:
“It is not enough to restrain our hands from murder, if we have not also banished anger from our soul.” (Commentary on Matthew 5)
Indeed, Our Lord places the reconciliation with one’s brother as a condition for acceptable worship. If we approach the altar with malice, we mock the very sacrifice we pretend to offer. As the traditional Offertory reminds us: “I will wash my hands among the innocent…” (Psalm 25:6)
A Spirit of Reconciliation and Peace
Thus, the harmony between the Epistle and the Gospel is manifest: peace with our neighbor is not a peripheral duty but essential to communion with God. The love of enemies, the refusal to return insult for insult, the earnest desire to reconcile—all are demanded by the Lord who reconciled us to Himself while we were yet His enemies.
St. Cyprian of Carthage writes beautifully:
“God does not accept the sacrifice of one who is not at peace with his brother. He commands us to leave the gift before the altar and go to be reconciled. Peace is the mother of unity, the bond of charity, the foundation of all virtue.” (De Oratione Dominica, 23)
Practical Resolution
On this Sunday, let us examine our own hearts. Do we harbor resentment, grudge, or pride? Have we refused reconciliation when opportunity offered itself? Let us not merely abstain from visible wrongdoing, but, by grace, uproot even the seeds of bitterness.
Let us ask for the grace of the Holy Ghost, the Spiritus pacis, to transform our hearts into true temples of charity, so that we may offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.
“Depart from evil, and do good: seek after peace, and pursue it.” (1 Pet 3:11)