and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good;
and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much?
And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.
LECTIO DIVINA:
Read: The Lord spoke to Moses in the Book of Leviticus telling him to tell the Israelties to be holy by obeying God’s precepts.
St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that we are temples of the Holy Spirit and we ought to live according to the wisdom of God.
Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount reinterprets the Old Testament precepts. He speaks of liberality in living out the commandments.
Reflect: It was normal at the time of Jesus to love and to forgive as preached by the Rabbis. But love and forgiveness were restricted to their fellow Jews.
The enemy was hated. With this background, we can understand the radicality of Jesus’ preaching. As Christ’s disciples, we are called to be Christ-like in our lives.
It is normal to dislike those who oppose us; it is Christ-like to choose to seek what unites.
It is normal to defend one’s possessions, one’s territory, one’s family; it is Christ-like to choose to do it through dialogue and mutual exchange of ideas.
It is normal that at times the dark part in us emerges; it is Christ-like to let the bright part dissipate the worst of us.
Jesus is quite straighforward; he asks much because he has given much.
He does not want his disciples to be lukewarm people but men and women who are capable of witnessing the holiness of the Father.
Jesus came not to change the road that leads to the Father. Rather, he brings it to completion.
Pray: Let us for the grace that we may not forget that we have been created in the image of our Creator, called to love others as we love ourselves.
Act: Pray for people who opposes you and those you find hard to deal with.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020