Reading 1: Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Gospel, Matthew 5:43-48 Full Readings
Brethren, today let us pray through our African saints, Perpetua and Felicity, patrons of expectant mothers, and pray for the mothers to have good conditions during their pregnancy and deliver well.
Today's readings invite us to a unique way of life guided by the fear of the Lord and observance of his commandments.
In the first Reading, Israel is promised blessings of being renown and being raised up above all nations if they follow God's commandments which show his will and also hearken to his voice. This is the conditional covenant God made to his people, which we are invited to reckon on it. If we follow the will of God in our lives, then God will lift us high, therefore, let us not resist the word of God which comes to us daily, heed to it and then it will be well with us.
Jesus in the gospel, brings in another way of solving conflicts, that is, non violence. Often times, we as humans, we tend to love back those who love us, and hate our enemies, even we are ready to revenge. This is not the way of Jesus, the way of Jesus, is to love our enemies and pray for them. Reflecting on Matthew 5:38-40, can give us another clue. Turn the other cheek when slapped, give the garment also when your cloak is taken, what is the meaning of these? When one responds in a non violent way, for instance when slapped, the other one feels stupid, even shameful if what he is doing, and in this way, he withdraws and the conflict ends. Further more when one takes your cloak and then give him a garment also, you become naked, and in Jewish culture one who sees the naked person is the one who is ashamed not the one naked. In this way, when one will not even take the cloak. All these teach us a nonviolent way of responding to issues. In the same way loving your enemy touches his conscience that he is doing nothing to hate, and hence his metanaoia. Let's love and pray for our enemies.
The gospel also invites us to a unique way of life as Christians to love those who love us but also more to those who don't. In this way we shall be unique and different from pagans, tax collectors and others who love only those who love them back. We say we are Christians, yet we fight each other just as non-believers do, sometimes even bloodier than non-believers. We drag ourselves to law courts. We even present our cases before traditional rulers some of whom do not share our faith. In truth, if the people of that community at Antioch behaved like us, they wouldn’t have been called Christians but simply church-goers.
What makes us Christians? It is our ability to rise above the traditional church-goer mentality. It is doing more than the tax collectors who love only those that love them. It is doing more than the Gentiles who greet only those that greet them. It is stepping out of the box, is acting in a manner that is really different from what our society regards as normal. It is doing thing just as Jesus would do if He were to walk this earth again. This Christian way of living is the will of the father, who blesses and loves all the people universally, and also wishes us to imitate him, to be perfect like him.
The road to perfection as human beings Is not an easy one, but we will manage if we withdraw inspiration and strength from our Father in heaven, love our neighbours and heed to the word of God, not forgetting prayer and fasting. Let's pray for our enemies and those who plot evil against us that they may recognize that we are brothers and sisters and we need not to hate each other but to love each other as God loved us and gave us his son.
We ask ourselves?
How have I lived my Christian Life, a loving life universal to all? How am I striving to be perfect and holy each day that passes, and then make your commitment. For we are Christians because we want to be Holy, my brothers and sisters, this is the only calling we have: to be Holy. Whatever we do if it is not bringing us to holiness please let's shun it. Let's pray for each other in this way to holiness and perfection.
A blessed Lenten period.
No comments:
Post a Comment