May the Lord give your grace and peace during these Lenten days. It is on 04th March 2023.
Are we replacing our goodness with the evil of others? Can charity mirror God’s heart in us?
“Lent is a favourable time which calls us to convert from the slavery of selfishness to the freedom to love and serve God and our brothers and sisters,” remarks His Holiness Pope Francis.
The readings are from Deut. 26:16-19 and the Gospel from Mt. 5: 43-48. The first reading is a reminder to all God’s children about following God’s law. We are the children of God by observing the commandments, the statutes, and His ordinances. Our consecration comes by obeying the commandments of God.
The Responsorial Psalm assures our happiness, “They are happy who follow God’s law.” (Ps.118:1).
In the Gospel, Jesus demands a standard in our relationships with one another. He is asking us to love our enemies. He is inviting us to have a personal relationship with the so-called enemies. In our personal relationships, we are expected to be inclusive and embrace everyone.
A Christian needs to have a perfect standard in loving others in the community. Being perfect means bringing out the forgiving, accepting, loving, the sacrificing image of God in our lives. We are called to be perfect in showing our love for those we think it is impossible to share anymore.
To be perfect also means bringing out the divine side of us when facing difficult and unacceptable moments in life. By loving and praying for those who hate us, we overcome evil with good. God calls us to be perfect in character, holiness, maturity, and in love. We will be perfect like Christ when we are able to love, forgive, and follow God’s law. May God bless you. Have a good day.