Be Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect

2 Cor. 8:1-9, Mt. 5:43-48. The ideal of loving our enemies and even praying for persecutors proposed by Jesus in today's Gospel, seems unreal, until we remember His heroic example, praying for His executioners (Cf. Lk. 22:34). Paul echoes this self-giving love when telling Christians in Corinth about the outstanding generosity shown by the Churches of Macedonia. He was on a goodwill campaign, with the aim of collecting alms from the better-off Christians in Greece, to help the struggling Church at Jerusalem. In this, he tried to be reconciled with the conservatives in Jerusalem, who had rejected him, blocked his apostolic work for the Gentiles and even questioned his right to call himself a Christian.

The two readings put a high value on forgiveness and reconciliation. Today, we are challenged to swallow our pride and turn away from harsh judgment of others. If we can repent, it shows how others can change. No matter how justified our anger or how eloquent our condemnation, we need to be forgiving and grow to be perfect as our Father is perfect. It is not enough to resist taking revenge. Jesus goes further and invites us to love our enemies. We are called to follow the examples of Jesus in generous and true love that He has shown us. He loved us so much that we should love Him in the same way as is only right for us to do so. It is indeed not easy for us to love everyone, especially those who have hurt us and caused us harm and pain.

May the Lord help us to be more loving and forgiving and strengthen in us the grace of faithfulness to God so that we may draw closer! Amen!! Good morning and have a great day!!!