Reading I: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48
God wants us to be holy!
In this week’s first reading, from the book of Leviticus, Moses tells the Israelites that they need to be holy, which just so happens to include loving your neighbor as yourself. It also means not holding grudges or seeking revenge when you believe you’ve been wronged by another person.
It also means that the Israelites – and Christians today – are set apart for a special relationship with God. They were offered a covenant with the Lord, much like Christ offers us a new covenant between God and us. Of course, parts of the new covenant look exactly like parts of the old: we should avoid hate and we shouldn’t hold grudges – and we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
If someone wrongs us, we should confront them honestly and lovingly. We need to do it in a way that prevents further harm. And instead of seeking revenge or holding a grudge, we’re called to forgive others and to love our neighbors, just as God loves us.
Everything belongs to Christ!
In this week’s second reading, St. Paul tells the Christian community in Corinth that they are God’s temple. He doesn’t say, “You’re like God’s temple.” He says, “You yourselves are God’s temple.” He explains that God’s Spirit dwells in their midst, and woe to the fool who tries to destroy that temple!
Paul does acknowledge that those who would destroy God’s temple are teaching a message that they believe to be wisdom, but it’s the wisdom of this world, which makes it foolishness in God’s sight. He emphasizes that true wisdom comes from God, not from the standards of this world, and warns us not to boast about human leaders or worldly knowledge.
He concludes this lesson by saying that all things are ours because we are of Christ and Christ is of God, and all things are God’s. It’s a heavy message because it carries not only blessings but responsibilities. The implication is that we must take care of everything in this world because, even though things may “belong” to us, everything ultimately belongs to the Creator!
Christians are held to a higher standard!
In our Gospel reading this week, Jesus borrowed a teaching from the Book of Leviticus: Love your neighbor as yourself. However, that’s not enough because we have to love our enemies too… and we have to pray for those who persecute us.
The original Law of the Israelites set some boundaries, but Jesus calls for something even more radical when he tells us to turn the other cheek. He is calling us to a higher standard that’s based on love and forgiveness.
Turn the other cheek. Give to those who ask. Love your enemies. Jesus is saying that this is how we should live in order to be true children of God. It might seem foolish, but Christians are called to a way of life beyond worldly norms. Giving has to be more than the bare minimum. As disciples of Christ, we’re called to go the extra mile.
Summing it up…
All of the readings this week call us to strive toward what is holy. Moses told us that God wants us to be holy. Paul told us that we are God’s temple – the place where the Spirit dwells – and what can be more holy than that? And then Jesus laid out some guidelines for us, explaining what it will take for us to be holy as we’re striving to be perfect, like God.
The thing to remember is that Jesus doesn’t want us to be discouraged by how difficult this all seems. It won’t be easy, of course, but if we are sincerely trying to follow the law of love that Jesus laid out, we can meet that higher standard, and we will be in relationship with our God!
Life Applications:
What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself?
Where do you see the Holy Spirit dwelling in our midst?
How do you “turn the other cheek?” What does it really mean?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A):
Original article by Brandon Jubar, 2023.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.