Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 23, 2020
First Reading: Leviticus 19.1-2, 17-18
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.17Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.18Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Psalm 103
1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3.16-23
16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Gospel: Matthew 5.38-48
38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven 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.