During each Mass, there is the beautiful practice of sharing a sign of peace with each other. After the pandemic we became more careful with physical touch, so most times we just waved to another person, or did a quick handshake with those around us. However, before the pandemic we would hug each other, our family members would kiss each other and would exchange the words ‘peace be with you.’ So, we come to church not only to receive forgiveness from our Merciful God, not only to listen to the scripture, and not only to receive the Eucharist, but also to forgive each other, to share peace, to say -- I am sorry if I hurt you. Please forgive me and I forgive you -- peace be with you. However, I know people who don’t speak to each other, who hold grudges. I know people who would not exchange a sign of peace with me because they simply don’t like me, or maybe I have hurt them by making some wrong decision. I don’t know. But when we come to Mass, we are asked to put those feeling aside and to be humble enough to forgive and to share that peace with each other, even with the person that I don’t like at all. Jesus said: “if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” God doesn’t want our prayers or sacrifices if we keep that anger in our hearts.
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