SUPERNATURAL

We are all called to a universal love. We should work for a heart that does not harbor ill feelings and dwells on retaliation and revenge. This is something we all struggle with because human nature wants to retaliate and revenge. It is not a Christian attitude that we want to get back at the person, talk about them and delight in their vices and misfortunes. Although talking about our heartaches can help us bear our burdens it should be with a view to get beyond it and not just sit on it nor cherish a grudge as to make much of it. When we nurse resentments and retell the story of what has been done to us we are just torturing ourselves. This is especially true when a certain person reminds us of a wound in the past then it becomes just like pouring salt in it. This aggravates the situation and makes us want to retaliate. When we do we make it as false idols because we disobey God’s law and give in to our feelings and emotions. As Christians we are called to let it go. God can liberate us from the bondage of evil and get beyond it by His grace. Amen. Hallelujah!


Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy. 17 “You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow man, do not incur sin because of him. 18 Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

The world’s point of view is very contradictory to the message that God wanted us to live by. We need to pray hard for the desire to always follow what is pleasing before the Lord and not forget that it is what really matters first and foremost. Amen. Hallelujah!


Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
R: The Lord is kind and merciful.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

We are made to believe by the world in the survival of the fittest law that we tend to neglect what God calls us to do. We are not called to live by that law but know that what is truly strong and powerful to the world is foolishness to God. Let us not make any foolish exchanges and be won over by the false ideals of this world. The law is good but it is not good enough. We have to go beyond it. Let us choose to stick to the true wisdom coming from God. Amen. Hallelujah!

1Corinthians 3:16-23
16 Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own ruses,” 20 and again: “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

All the readings for today are beautifully linked. It is about loving our fellowmen, enemies included and forgiving them. The idea of forgiveness does not tell us justify, overlook, excuse and not to hold a person accountable for any wrong doing. In fact, legitimate self defense is not considered bad. We have to love our enemy, our neighbor and everyone without exception. We have to rule over our feelings. We may not feel like doing good but we must not equate forgiveness with the feelings but with right thing to do. We must remember that God Himself as written in Romans 5:7-8, Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. We have to love and radiate this grace and forgiveness that we’ve been given. Even while we were enemies of God, He sent His son to offer us His forgiveness. We need to go the extra mile. We are called to action to love even the most unlovable. As the gospel tells us today, the sun rises on everyone and His love and mercy is for all. It is just natural that our love is proportional to what we get in return. But we are called to supernatural love through God’s grace. This is given to us in the sacraments during mass when Jesus offers Himself to us. We all have opportunities to live this great call of charity. In prayer we call upon that grace to love and see what it does. This is the perfection that the gospel calls us today. Amen. Hallelujah!


Matthew 5:38-48
38 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”