19 February 2023 – Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 and Matthew 5:38-48
Today’s readings speak of the essence of holiness. The First and Second Readings give us the reasons why we should be holy while the Gospel describes how to become holy by following the teachings of Jesus.
The first reading, taken from the book of Leviticus, gives the code of holiness: ‘Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy’. This passage explains that the God of Israel is a transcendent God, beyond human knowledge and, at the same time, a God who wants to be with his people. Therefore, people must not only worship and love him, but they must also share his holiness by living holy in God’s presence. The only way to share God’s holiness is: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’.
The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 103) challenges us to be like our God – good, merciful and compassionate – and gives us the measure of perfection that Christ asks us to bring into
our relationships.
In the second reading, St Paul gives us one more reason to be holy. We must keep our bodies holy because we are the temples of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The word naos, which Paul uses for temple, refers to the sanctuary, corresponding to the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem where the Lord God chose to dwell. Paul teaches that the presence of the Holy Spirit in us makes our community and each of its members a holy temple, the naos of God.
Today’s Gospel passage tells us that what makes Christians different is the grace through which they treat others with loving kindness and mercy, even if they do not deserve it. The reading of the Sermon on the Mount, the first of the five great discourses on which the spiritual architecture of Matthew’s Gospel rests, continues in this liturgy. On this Sunday, the discourse focuses on the heart of the Christian faith, love of enemies. This, however, is also one of the points least accepted by men, even to the point of making hatred of enemies a rule of life, possibly to the point of extermination.
Moreover, in the wake of the previous Sunday, the series of “antitheses” that Jesus establishes between the old reductive interpretation of the biblical Law and the novelty of his proposal is completed.
The law of retaliation was applied among the Israelites with the utmost rigour and probably often became the pretext for the most barbaric injustices, as is still the case today among the Bedouins in the desert (cf. Ex 21:23-25). Jesus’ intervention does not eliminate the old law, but helps the people to change their mentality by showing them another way: the way of justice and
Teaching practical attitudes in conformity with the love and mercy of God the Father. In fact, addressing those who follow him, he tells them to live giving of themselves generously, not only looking after their own interests, not showing themselves to be narrow-minded, but showing themselves to be benevolent, forgiving, showing greatness of spirit. The reason is simple: evil is exhausted, defeated if its power falls on a patient, humble and meek heart.
What if hatred wanted to destroy the love present in the heart of a true disciple of Christ,
if it wants to test his ability to persevere in loving, if it wants to extinguish love in him, love, on the other hand, will grow by accepting torment and humiliation. The greed of men can use the judicial power of a court to extort a tunic from a poor man, passing it off as a pledge owed for an unreturned loan of money. A situation designed to dismay, frustrate, curse. Giving even the cloak is not a sign of cowardice, but of renouncing wrath, anger, outrage, in order to trust in God (cf. Ex 22:26). Such a testimony of patient trust will shake the conscience of the extortioner who may come to repentance.
Jesus says to overcome evil with good, not to rebel, not to keep rancour in one’s heart, not to think of revenge. It is the goodness of the heart that will break arrogance. It is love that will break it. St Paul writing to the Christians of Rome says: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with goodness” (Rom 12:21).
The Old Testament already recommended to love your neighbour as yourself. For Jesus, every man, even an enemy or persecutor, becomes a neighbour. The author of the book of Leviticus also dwells on the commandment of love: “You shall not harbour hatred in your heart against your brother,” reads the text, “you shall rebuke your neighbour openly, so that you do not burden yourself with a sin for him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbour as yourself” (19:17-18). John will say, “If anyone claims to love God and then hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he sees, cannot love God whom he does not see.” (1Jn 4:20).

For good workers…
a. He raises up the bad and the good: The verse is a call to become like the Father, so that at the end of life He may recognise and receive us as true children.
b. What reward: The love of enemies represents the summit touched by the Gospel law of love of neighbour. Such love, indicated by the Greek verb agapào resides mainly in the will that becomes available with compassion (compression??), benevolence, and help.
c. Be perfect:
The word ‘Perfect’ is to be understood in the sense of loving our fellow human beings with a love that embraces all and excludes none in all circumstances of life. Otherwise it would be a mere virtue that leads to nothing.
Our Lord Jesus sets the heavenly Father before us as the model we must imitate, especially in loving everyone, even our enemies.
P JOBY KAVUNGAL RCJ