READINGS
1st Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9: The Lord Jesus was rich but he became poor for your sake.
Resp. Psalm: Ps. 145(146): 2,5-9: My soul give praise to the Lord.
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48: Pray for those who persecute you.
REFLECTION
How can someone stay cheerful and generous in the midst of poverty and hardship? It takes a lot of inner freedom, love, joy and peace to get to that deep level of understanding and disposition.
The way to happiness for many of us, is the pursuit of pleasures and luxury of this world but the right way is the way of holiness (Jesus Christ is THE WAY); I.e. love but on selfless sacrifice. Laying down ones life for the sake of others. Jesus tells us at the end of today’s gospel, ‘be perfect just as your Heavenly Father is perfect. (Mathew 5:48).
How can we mere mortals full of imperfections become perfect? St. Paul at the end of today’s first reading offers us an answer to this question. Remember how Jesus was: he was rich but became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. 2 Cor.8:9.
This marvelous exchange shows the unconditional love of God the Father upon us by sending his only begotten Son so that we can have eternal life through him. By his wounds we are healed and by his death and Resurrection, we who are dead have been saved and raised to new life.
We were made perfect through the greatest act of love; Christ laid down his life for our sake, so that we too may lay down our lives for the sake of others. He was raised back to life so that we too can raise others from zero to hope. In other words, The perfect person does good through love.(Clement of Alexandria)
Therefore, let us make the works of our hands and our deeds perfect through selfless , unconditional and undying love.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. (Winston Churchill).
May we always strive to give our best efforts everything we do. Amen.
Always strive to DO your BEST. Improve…Keep improving .., there is always ROOM for IMPROVEMENT.
Fr. Joseph Osho, OSJ.
