Gospel (Mt 5,20-26) - At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «I tell you: if your righteousness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. »You have heard that it was said to the ancients: Do not kill; whoever kills will be subjected to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be subjected to judgment. Whoever then says to his brother: stupid, he will be subjected to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says to him: crazy, he will be subjected to the fire of Gehenna. »If therefore you present your offering on the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother and then return to offer yours. gift. Make an agreement quickly with your adversary while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard and you be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you: you will not get out of there until you have paid every last penny!

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

God's justice is salvation, not condemnation; it is love without limits, it does not divide into equal parts, like human justice. This new way of considering justice is the condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. Jesus does not propose a new case study, or a new legal practice, but rather a new way of understanding relationships between men: it is love that makes them firm, strong and effective. In this love law and justice are fulfilled. We need to move from a negative precept to the positivity of love without reciprocation. For Jesus, as for his disciples, enemies do not exist. Free love, without reciprocation, is the culmination of the Law and of following. It has such a high value that, if it were missing, it also requires the interruption of the supreme act of worship. “Mercy” is worth more than “sacrifice”. Worship, as a relationship with God, cannot ignore a relationship of love with men, in particular with the poor. It is a specific dimension of the Gospel that should never be ignored. Jesus then uses the example of the debt to be covered or the credit to be had. He leads to reaching an agreement without having to resort to the mediation of a judge. Fraternity and love for others must prevail in the life of the community of disciples. He knows well that the egocentric instinct that constantly pushes one to satisfy one's own "ego" first and foremost, to put one's own interests forward, which leads to the collapse of fraternal bonds, must be pushed back. Jesus urges us to advance love for others and to give space to the primacy of reconciliation over indifference and conflict.