Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

The desire for revenge seems to be ingrained in the human heart. We forget that the injunction “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Ex 21:24) was meant to restrain, so that the aggrieved party would not exact retribution that was greater than the offense.

Jesus invites us—no, commands us—to something higher, yet more difficult: “offer no resistance” (Mt 5:39); “love your enemies” (5:44). “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48). A tall order, indeed!

Yet, Moses had already hinted at this when the Lord orders, in the reading from Leviticus: “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy” (Lev 19:2). St. Paul reminds us, as well, that we are “the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16), and that “the temple of God, which you are, is holy” (3:17).

Can we do this on our own? Certainly not. This Lent, let us ask the Lord to bless our efforts at becoming holy as He has asked, knowing that by ourselves we can do nothing. God bless you.

PS. My sincere thanks to all who have contributed to the ABCD campaign. If you have not yet done so, please remember that just $1 a day goes a long way towards reaching our goal.

Fr. Luis R. Largaespada