PERFECT

Today's 1st reading is about the covenant that God has made to His people with a clause attached to it. There is a condition in the agreement which is to keep all His commandments. It is not easy to be a Christian meaning we follow the things that God tells us to do. Whenever we work hard for something we can expect great results and it is exactly what we are supposed to do for it will always be to our advantage that we follow God. If human beings can easily break their promises we are very sure that God doesn't and never will. Let us just focus on His promises always so as not to be disheartened and easily discouraged knowing that the One who promised is trustworthy. If we are to look very closely at all His commandments and then to all His promises, we'll find out that it is really for our own good that He has given us these commands. We've got to remove all wrong impressions and notions that His commands are meant to make life difficult for us but rather as a guide that can direct us to a life of freedom. In one of our Apologetics class the speaker said that the commandments are not given to us to limit our freedom but in fact it is the formula for a truly happy life and enhances our freedom even more. He cited the example of driving in the freeway. He told us to imagine the kind of scenario if there are no rules and regulations to be followed in driving especially in the freeway. He said there would be a lot of chaos. He added by saying how can we imagine leaving our children in a day care with a playground without any fences. These rules help us enjoy life and have more peace and joy. They do not limit but instead protect freedom. To the extent that you can follow the 10 commandments and become free. This we have to realize, the more we disobey the more we become bound and become a slave of sin therefore the more we obey God the more we become free. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 26:16-19
...And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, 19 he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised.”

If we really want to be truly happy then there is just one thing we have to always do that is to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord. We can never run away from the probing eyes of God because nothing is hidden from Him. We sometimes have this impression that our God requires impossibilities from us. We misinterpret and take things in a different way whenever we hear of rules and regulations to be followed. We should believe that if there is someone in and out of this world who is most reasonable, just, fair and at the same time loving, caring, slow to anger and rich in kindness that is no other than our God. One thing for sure, if He requires us something, He will definitely equip us for it because it is written, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If we commit ourselves to following God then we will surely be blessed. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R: Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
1 Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. (R) 4 You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept. 5 Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes! (R) 7 I will give you thanks with an upright heart, when I have learned your just ordinances. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.

Today's gospel is another mission impossible based on human standards. But let us not forget that we are not the children of God for nothing. I have seen many people who were able to transform themselves and have inspired many people to change. There was one friend of mine when I was still in college who used to be very skinny and weak, he was the laughing stock of the group and called "Palito" because they say he is as thin as a matchstick. After several years that we haven't seen each other I got the shock of my life when I finally saw him. He is so physically fit with all the works and the muscles almost a perfect 10. I couldn't have recognized him if he hadn't called my attention. When I asked him what he did, he said he enrolled in a gym and worked out. He hired a fitness trainer who coached him with the proper diet and exercise. The most important thing of all was he followed and did everything that was required of him. He said it wasn't easy but he said "no pain, no gain!" If we really want to be perfect like our Father in heaven then it's time we start working out by engaging in an aerobics of faith and feeding ourselves with all the nutritious and healthy stuff and stay away from food that is not beneficial not only to our physical but our spiritual bodies as well. Let us start developing not only physical but spiritual muscles as well. Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfill the law of the prophets. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly. We have to exceed the letter of the law and know that the Spirit of the law gives life and understand it better. St. Augustine said, "Love and obey God then do what you will." We must be united to the will of God to the best of our abilities in order to always be aligned to His will.
GOD'S LAW MAKES US LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE (CCC 1803 "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. Today’s gospel also teaches us what Christianity is all about. Here it goes again. The mind boggling and endless train of thoughts that follow once the faith and reason argument ensues. Not a lot of people will agree with its recommendation and may even end up twisting its real meaning by adding up some justifications and excuses. To love one's enemies and be perfect just God is perfect may seem impossible. But our God is very clear in this and if we will also be serious and really commit to it then nothing is hard and impossible since we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We need not be told dear friends since we have been tutored by the years that all of this loveliness is not of our own making. The ability to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us and understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compelled Mother Teresa to do the things she did? Who compels the mothers and the fathers to sacrifice themselves and do without so their children can be educated and grow up and take their place in life. All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.” Another very significant event I could associate with the gospel today is an incident in a graduation party almost 2 years ago where all the God's Children members were gathered together seated in a big table. There was a very interesting conversation among us. We all actually didn't know how it started but the topic shifted to purgatory. There was one person there who said there is no such thing as purgatory. The Catholic Church teaches us that all of us whether living or dead belong to the Church. The living are members of the militant church, those in heaven are the Church triumphant and those who are yet to enter heaven or in the so called "purgatory" are the Church suffering. We are taught that people who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior but die with unrepented sins and have not asked forgiveness are in purgatory to be purged and made clean before facing God. It was said that God is All Holy and Ever Bright and Shining in Perfection that just a single stain of sin left in our soul makes us shy away from His presence. It is said that we, ourselves would rather be purged first than stand not properly clothed of holiness before God. This reminds me of the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:11-14, "But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen." Although this passage depicts being thrown in hell it is implied that we have to be properly dressed before we face God. The only thing left when we die is our soul because our mortal bodies are left to rot on earth and turned to dust. We have a merciful God that is why we have purgatory. God knows that it is not easy for man to maintain a perfect, free of stains and spotless soul at all times during our lifetime and could still have the hope of being with God in heaven. Based on our Catholic teachings and in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:32-35, this place being spoken of here where the servant was tortured until he was able to pay back the whole debt is like purgatory. It is written, “You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." In this place he was given the chance to pay back the whole debt unlike in the Parable of the Wedding Feast when he was immediately thrown away in darkness. Before this story gets any longer and even more elaborate without the main point being stressed, the emphasis lies in the fact that we are all called, as the gospel today tells us and what I also mentioned to the unbelieving person in purgatory, to be perfect just as our Heavenly Father is Perfect. For the purpose of giving glory to God, it is noteworthy to mention that this person who was so antagonistic at that time and had already distanced herself to the Catholic faith is now back to the fold. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 5:43-48
43 Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”