7th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year A Reflection:
HOLINESS AND LOVE OF ENEMY.
Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.
- I remember one of the comments put by a person in one of my posts saying: “Why is your page called ‘Catholics striving for holiness’? Isn’t is too presumptuous? ANALYZE!” These words were verbatim. I just decided not to reply to her comment. Nevertheless, the answer to her question are God’s words which we have quoted above.
- We should all rejoice on the fact that the holiness which Jesus asks from everyone –and not just some– of his followers is not something unattainable. Rather, The Most Blessed Trinity wills that we journey towards this path and correspond to His call for this is what will lead us to everlasting happiness!
- We must not forget that happiness here on earth and in heaven is not and cannot be provided by what is fleeting and material, but only by God Himself and our union with Him. God wants us to be holy because He wants us to be happy.
- Holiness is God’s work and initiative primarily. All we have to do is to allow Him to work in our souls and correspond to His grace, day in and day out.
- We will have our own share of victories and defeats, we will always die with our defects and miseries. What God wants is that we respond to His call, to want to be holy, to put the means to be holy, having recourse to the fountain of His Grace which are prayer, Sacraments and sacrifice; and the daily struggle to uproot our defects, all done out of love, which is the perfect motive which all of us must have to start, continue and persevere in our journey towards heaven.
- The Commentary to the Gospel of St. Matthew (Navarre Bible) states:
- “This passage sums up the teaching which precedes it. Our Lord goes as far as to say that a Christian has no personal enemies. His only enemy is evil as such –sin– but not the sinner.
- Jesus himself put this into practice with those who crucified him, and he continues to act in the same way towards sinners who rebel against him and despise him.
- Consequently, the saints have always followed his example –like St. Stephen, the first martr, who prayed for those who were putting him to death. This is the apex of Christian perfection –to love, and pray for, even those who persecute us and calumniate us. It is the distinguishing mark of the children of God.”