Friends,
today’s Gospel passage is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount. If
we are to begin to understand Jesus’ staggering teachings in the Sermon
on the Mount, we have to keep ever in our minds the little tagline: "Be
perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Jesus
is the Son of God, and his purpose is not primarily to construct a
smooth-functioning human society; it is to establish the
kingdom of God—that is to say, a body formed by those who participate in
him, who share his relationship with the Father.
What is the Father of Jesus Christ like? The Father of Jesus Christ is love, right through. That’s all God is; that’s
all he knows how to do. He is not like us: unstable, changing, moving from one attitude to another. No, God simply is love.
Why
should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s
the way God operates: he loves the saints and he also loves the worst
sinner in hell. Now, is that easy to do? Of course not. But that’s what
Jesus call us to: be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflect: In this passage, Jesus warns about the deadly sin of anger.
When was the last time you were angry? Was it being angry for justice or
was it selfish or
vengeful?
Friday of the First Week of Lent
Lectionary: 228
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?
And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Verse Before the Gospel Ez 18:31
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
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