holiness and perfection

Good morning friends,
As we continue to keep our brothers and sisters in Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Tunisia in prayer for peace, wisdom and freedom, we turn to God's calling to us. Today's reading from Leviticus calls us to be holy as God is holy. Holy means set apart for God and somehow like God. In this case we show that through how we live each day, in particular how we conduct ourselves with integrity and justice, especially for the vulnerable. The admonition to pay a worker each day especially calls to mind the often oppressive conditions under which many of our sisters and brothers, especially those without documentation, labor each day.

Jesus takes things a step further, calling us not only to holiness but to perfection. By perfection he means love without limit, boundary or fear. He means loving even those who hate and persecute us. He means loving when it is inconvenient, too expensive, dangerous and foolish. A calling like that can only come from a savior like Christ who loved us all the way to the cross and loves us even when we casually ignore his calling for us. Christ lived it and calls us to follow. It's a good thing we are not alone but go strengthened by the Spirit.

Blessings on this Lord's Day,
Sam

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

9When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.

11You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. 12And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.

13You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. 14You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

15You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

17You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.


Matthew 5:38-48

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”