By Fr. Andrew Kelly
SEVENTH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – FEB. 23, 2014
Jesus, in Sunday’ Gospel (Matthew 38-48), proclaims and commands: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
To be perfect, in Jesus’ mind, is that God’s ways possess believers and believing communities’ souls. As God’s soul is possessed by self-emptying and self-surrendering love and forgiveness for every human being, so shall believers and believing communities’ souls be so possessed.
If God’s ways do not possess, how does any believer, or believing community, resist the evil doer, turn the other cheek, surrender a cloak, go the extra mile, give to all who ask, love and pray for enemies and those who persecute?
God’s ways (your will be done) are the individual and communal spiritual discipline that makes what Jesus proclaims and commands become possible.
Being perfect as God is perfect seems so simple. As God’s sun shines and showers upon every human being, so God’s love and forgiveness shine and shower as believers and believing communities resist the evil doer, turn the other cheek, surrender a cloak, go the extra mile, give to all who ask, and love and pray for enemies and those who persecute.
This is being perfect (holy) as God is perfect (holy).
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Feb. 23 to March 2
Sunday
Lv 19:1-2, 17-18
1 Cor 3:16-23
Mt 5:38-48
Monday
Jas 3:13-18
Mk 9:14-29
Tuesday
Jas 4:1-10
Mk 9:30-37
Wednesday
Jas 4:13-17
Mk 9:38-40
Thursday
Jas 5:1-6
Mk 9:41-50
Friday
Jas 5:9-12
Mk 10:1-12
Saturday
Jas 5:13-20
Mk 10:13-16
Sunday
Is 49:14-15
1 Cor 4:1-5
Mt 6:24-34
