be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect

“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)