Seventh Sunday of the Year February 19, 2023
Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
This Sunday focuses on holiness and loving our neighbour.
The first reading tells us not to bear grudges and gives us the Golden Rule.
The second reading reminds us that all of us are God’s temples. And in the
gospel, Jesus tells us that we must love everyone, even our enemies.
“Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.” So begins the
first reading for today. But what does it mean to be holy? The word usually
means to be set apart, unique, sacred. A holy object is set aside for a
particular religious use. This certainly makes sense for the people of God. The
story of the Pentateuch is about the Israelites being set apart from the people
around them. But to what end? The rest of the passage makes it clear that at
least part of the reason the people of God need to be set apart is to love our neighbours
as ourselves.
The Code of Hammurabi (1793-1750 B.C.), a precept to the law
of retaliation which we heard awhile ago: “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth (Matt 5:38, Ex 21:24, Lev 24:19ff) which was intended not to command to
do violence but to set limits on giving vengeance for an offense.
In Leviticus, Moses seems to give priority to his own
people, but Jesus tells us that this love, this holiness or this perfection, is
required in our interactions with those who oppose us as well. Our neighbour
now comes to include our enemies, both those who actively oppress us, as the
Romans did the Jewish people in Jesus’ day, and those whom we oppress or think
poorly of, as the Jewish people did the people of Samaria. Jesus makes this
clear in his parable of the Good Samaritan and in his encounter with the
Samaritan woman at the well. The gospel message, Christ is telling us, is for
everyone, not for the elect, not only for those in power, but even for those
who are other than us. Because in the end, no one is other.
The passage concludes with Jesus saying, "Be perfect,
then, as your heavenly Father is perfect." On the face of it that sounds
like a commandment which cannot possibly have anything to do with us. Indeed,
no one of us can even faintly connect ourselves with perfection. This obviously
is an ideal, a goal to be aimed at. The perfection intended is not total
perfection but rather to aim at that total impartiality of a God who extends
his providential care and love equally to all.
Today in our context, there are plenty of opportunities to rebuttal
what others do and say. Evil and negativity is everywhere. Elections are
nearing and the media is busy breaking for us the latest news of hate and
violence. Can I reflect Jesus in my context today? May not be possible to make
the difference everywhere and at every moment. Nevertheless, in small little
way…. And say like that young man ..."Made a difference to this one."
Happy Sunday
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