By Scott Murphy, Consultant to the First Presidency

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

After that life-changing experience on the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul dedicated his life and mission to help people understand the gift of grace that God yearns to share with all. In God’s act of love through Christ, God was extending the essence of reconciliation to be in right and loving relationship with humanity. This is a gift that continues to be offered to us today.

A few years ago, as I gathered with those preparing to participate in a worship and Communion service, the worship leader asked if he could speak with me in private. We excused ourselves from the group and found a quiet place to talk. As I listened, the person shared that he had been carrying hard feelings toward me because of an administrative decision I had made in the past. However, as we both prepared to stand before the gathered community to share in the sacrament—an act inviting us to remember the life of Christ—this person did not want to enter that sacred moment still holding on to negative and angry feelings toward me.

In a humble and caring way, he apologized for the resentment he had carried and asked for my forgiveness. Having sensed his frustration toward me, I was deeply moved by his honesty and willingness to seek reconciliation. His words and act of seeking forgiveness were a gift of grace and hospitality that I will never forget.

Reconciliation is an act saturated with the gift of grace. It is about relationships and the restoration of life. We are recipients of the reconciliation God extends to us through the self-giving love modeled in Christ.

During this Lenten season, be open to the opportunity to offer reconciliation to another. In that act, may you encounter what the Apostle Paul discovered, that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

Prayer Phrase

“Happy are those who observe justice” (Psalm 106:3).

Healing and Reconciliation

Gather a small mound of stones. Meditate on the stones as symbols of differences and destructive acts that continue to separate and wound the human family. Name and anoint each “stone wound” with a drop of water or scented oil. Offer them to God in a prayer for healing and reconciliation.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.