BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY. (Lev. 19)

                                                                     

Antoni BigCuore*

Date: 23.02.2020, Sunday at 09:53 hrs
Location: São Paulo, SP., Brazil
____________________________________________________
The readings of this 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time are very interesting and challenging.

God proposes to us today, the challenge of HOLINESS. Unlike what our evangelical brothers understand, in the human dimension, “holy” is the one who comes closest to God. He is a virtuous person who seeks to IMITATE Jesus' lifestyle.

In the first reading of the Book of Leviticus, 19, he makes this very clear. The Lord God saying to Moses: "You shall say to the whole assembly of Israel the following: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy." ( 1 )
In today's Gospel, in Matthew, 5,38-48, Master Jesus REJECTS the law of the talion, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. He exhorts his disciples to be perfect. "BE PERFECT AS WELL AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT".

Jesus advocates UNCONDITIONAL LOVE !!!. If we want to have his disciples, we must renounce ourselves, take up our daily cross and follow Him.

Is easy? Of course not !, but not impossible !. "Everything is possible for those who believe".
Of course, we will never be perfect. But, we must face the reading, especially of Leviticus, in the sense that an IDEAL is being pursued. A goal!

Thus, we will try, on a daily basis, to be better. Avoiding sin and cultivating virtue, this is the way to seek perfection.

The "saints" of our Christian Catholic Church, were SPECIAL people who, thanks to their lifestyle, came closest to God !!! Strictly speaking, it is clear that HOLY AND PERFECT IS ONLY GOD !!!

Let us try to be better people, FORGIVING offenses that are almost daily addressed to us. Following Jesus is not easy, but the reward from Heaven motivates us and gives us the strength to pursue the ideal of perfection!

Loving more, forgiving more, being generous, just, we will still be able, in this life, to have the consolation of the Holy Spirit of God !.
Happy and holy Sunday! God bless you always!
___________________________________________________
(*) author is a writer, and communicator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire planet. Know and publicize his BLOG WELL LIVING BRAZIL - antonibigcuore.blogspot.com (self-knowledge, spirituality and healthy life).
(1) Pauline Bible, pastoral edition, page 136.
___________________________________________________