“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (MT 5: 43-48)
“Be perfect” is not an appeal to our perfectionism. “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect,” is not a “mission impossible” because we are not gods. “Be perfect” is about being like our heavenly Father, Who loves us unconditionally. Being “children of our heavenly Father” means that we should “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.” Being perfect means that we start every day with the same goal—to love one another as we are loved by Him.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.” (2 COR 6: 2-8)
We could expect, that “a very acceptlable time” is when we will have everything—fantastic family and relationships, stable and good job, house in a nice part of the city, and… we will start our service soon, maybe even in a near future. The word, who is “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” sais somesting opposite: “now is the day of salvation, now is a very acceptlable time”: “in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God.” And we know how to do it: “by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness.” All our steps from the Programs are our “weapons of righthousness.”
“A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” (1 COR 10: 16-17)
We are different. We come from different worlds, have different colors, speak different languages, and have different traditions, but “we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” This is the beauty of our Church—wherever you are, you will have the same Mass, the same readings, and the same Holy Communion. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ—the source of our unity.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 COR 5: 14-15)
The main purpose for the life of every husband and wife is: “so that those who live might no longer live for themselves.” When “the love of Christ impels us,” we want to live for others, not for ourselves. Our lives are fulfilled when we are a sincere gift of selves. when we are a sincere gift of selves.
“Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.” (2 COR 4: 7)
Both elements are very real: “treasure” and “earthen vessels.” When we are focused on “treasure” only, we can forget how fragile we are; when we are focused on “earthen vessels” only, we can forget about our mission and the responsibilities we receive with the grace of faith—“shine like lights in the world.” We need to unite in our hearts both elements to discover “the surpassing power of God.”
“Shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 COR 4: 6)
God Who created light, also protects us today from any kind of darkness. Our Lord came to us as a Light; He guides us and protects us. When we bring our hearts closer to Him, He enlightens us and strengthens us with His love.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” (MT 5: 19)
Our Lord’s commandments are to protect us on our journey to heaven. “Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” We are examples for our children; we are examples for our co-workers and our friends. When we teach the commandments—we help, and when we “obey and teach”—we inspire and guide.
“Teach me your paths, my God, and guide me in your truth.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (MT 5: 16)
These are amazing connections: our “light” and our “good deeds” visible to others, and glory to God, our “heavenly Father.” We are connected; He made us His beloved children, and whatever happens to us happens to Him. He is part of our lives.
“Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.” (2 COR 1: 3-5)
There is no affliction where God can’t be present in our lives—to support us and to encourage us. He protects us, so we can share with others what we received, and “we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction.” God is a community of persons and wants us to live like He does.
“Rejoice and be glad; for your reward will be great in heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” (2 COR 13: 13)
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, all Three Persons in one feast. We admire God’s love for us; we depend on Our Lord’s sacrifice for us, and we are so grateful for the Holy Spirit’s presence in our daily lives. It makes us speechless when we consider who we are and how much we receive from God. We are really His beloved children.
“Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come.” (Gospel Acclamation)
