GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 19TH FEBRUARY 2017
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
FIRST READING: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
PSALM: Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48
THEME: BE HOLY
Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “Holiness is not something extraordinary, not something for only a few brains, with intellectual powers that can reason, that can discuss, that can have long talks and read very wonderful books. Holiness is for every one of us as a simple duty – the acceptance of God with a smile at all times, anywhere and everywhere.”
In our First Reading, the Lord sends Moses to tell the whole Israelite community, “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2). The message then continues with some practical dimensions of what holiness entails, part of which reads, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbour, lest you bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself…” (Lev. 19:17-18).
With time, many Jews came to interpret the above obligations of holiness solely with reference to the community of Israel, and in particular to their neighbours in that community. They felt no obligation to love those who were ‘outside’ their circles, especially those who were their enemies. Thus in our Gospel text for the day, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:43-45). It was a challenge to be holy at all times, anywhere and everywhere. Paul re-echoes the call to holiness with a question to the Corinthian community, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
There are three kinds of “holy persons” — those who are holy by name, those who are holy in their thinking and those who are holy indeed. We can choose to be called by all kinds of holy names and titles without necessarily being holy. We can also choose to fantasise and think of ourselves as holy but miss the mark of holiness. True holiness expresses itself in deeds and shows forth in works of love at all times, anywhere and everywhere.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, give me love in my heart and make me love without counting the cost. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).