Sts. Felicity & Perpetua, martyrs 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Deuteronomy 26: 16-19

 On this day, Yahweh, your God,

commands you to fulfill these norms and these commandments. Obey them now and put them into practice with all your heart and with all your soul.

 Today Yahweh has declared to you that he will be your God, and so you shall follow his ways, observing his norms, his com­mandments and his laws, and listening to his voice.

 Today Yahweh has declared that you will be his very own people even as he had promised you, and you must obey all his commandments.   He, for his part, will give you honor, renown and glory, and set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will become a nation consecrated to Yahweh, your God, as he has declared.

 

Ps  119: 1-2, 4-5, 7-8

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 5:43-48

 You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other.  If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.  Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.

 You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.  But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wick­ed and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much?   And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much?   For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.

 

Gospel Reflection：

“Be perfect as your heavenly Father is pefect!”

In his gospel, Matthew uses the word “perfect” only twice: first in chapter 5 and in chapter 19 when the rich young man asked Jesus, “what must I do to gain eternal life?” and then Jesus said. “if you wish to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in in heaven”. Jesus equates perfection with eternal life.

So, perfection here does not mean being essentially perfect and pure. Rather, it means making perfection as our goal; making life’s objective to be blameless, to be merciful, to be holy. Doing so will attune our life to follow God’s ways and we will grow into the perfection of our heavenly Father.

Jesus wants us not just to do the usual thing: greeting our friends and loving those who are good to us. We are called to act not as the world does but to live out the gospel values always. In doing so, we stretch our human capacity and train our very being to reach our goal.

Our life here on earth is like a long preparation for the great Feast in Heaven. We look forward to our goal. The Kingdom, the House of the Father, where there is perfection.