Daily Readings - Sun Feb 23 2020

¹The Lord spoke to Moses, saying²Speak to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy¹⁷You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but reprove him openly, lest you have sin over him¹⁸Do not seek revenge, neither should you be mindful of the injury of your fellow citizens. You shall love your friend as yourself. I am the Lord

1 Corinthians

Chapter 3

¹⁶Do you not know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives within you¹⁷But if anyone violates the Temple of God, God will destroy him. For the Temple of God is holy, and you are that Temple¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become foolish, so that he may be truly wise¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. And so it has been written: "I will catch the wise in their own astuteness.²⁰And again: "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.²¹And so, let no one glory in men²²For all is yours: whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future. Yes, all is yours²³But you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s

Matthew

Chapter 5

³⁸You have heard that it was said: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.³⁹But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil, but if anyone will have struck you on your right cheek, offer to him the other also⁴⁰And anyone who wishes to contend with you in judgment, and to take away your tunic, release to him your cloak also⁴¹And whoever will have compelled you for one thousand steps, go with him even for two thousand steps⁴²Whoever asks of you, give to him. And if anyone would borrow from you, do not turn away from him⁴³You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.⁴⁴But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you⁴⁵In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way⁴⁸Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Sermon

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the profound themes of holiness, unity, and unconditional love. The first reading from Leviticus reminds us of the call to holiness, rooted in God’s own holiness, and the importance of loving our neighbor as ourselves. This text is part of the Holiness Code, a section of Leviticus that emphasizes living a life set apart for God, not just in ritual purity but in ethical behavior toward others. The second reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to recognize that we are the Temple of God, and thus, we must avoid the corruption of worldly wisdom. Paul is addressing a church divided by factions and intellectual pride, urging them to embrace humility and unity in Christ. Finally, the Gospel from Matthew presents Jesus’ radical teaching on non-retaliation and love for enemies, a cornerstone of his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is not abolishing the law but fulfilling it by calling his followers to a higher standard of love and mercy. These readings are deeply interconnected. Leviticus establishes the foundation of holiness and love for neighbor, which is then expanded by Paul to include the entire community as the living Temple of God. Jesus, in the Gospel, takes this further by extending love not just to neighbors but even to enemies. Together, they remind us that our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationships with others. To be holy is to love without boundaries, to forgive without condition, and to live in a way that reflects God’s own perfection. In our daily lives, these teachings call us to move beyond superficial kindness and to embrace a radical love that transforms how we interact with the world. It means resisting the urge to retaliate, whether in small slights or deeper injustices. It means seeing the image of God in everyone, even those who may oppose or hurt us. As we strive to live out this holiness, we are reminded that we are not alone. We are part of a community, the Body of Christ, and our actions reflect not only on ourselves but on the entire Body. Let us, therefore, seek to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, living with humility, forgiveness, and love that knows no bounds.