Be perfect …
Today’s Gospel continues the considerations made by Christ on the preceding Sunday. Using the same scheme, Jesus teaches his disciples, confronting the law of the Old Testament with the law of the New Covenant. This is an extended talk about the commandment of love. Love of God can not be true, if not carried out every day in the love of neighbor. And love is neither sentimental nor emotional, but very specific and demanding. What’s more, it is – or should be – universal love. There is no longer – as in the Old Testament – the distinction between neighbor and stranger, friend and enemy. They are all should be seen as brothers. To all I am obliged to show respect. Everyone is entitled to my help and kindness, to the loving and fair treatment, “Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” These words are difficult, and we know ourselves, how it is sometimes very demanding this commandment. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” It is so hard for us to implement every day the requirements of Jesus, it is so difficult to be understanding and cordial, kind and forgiving those who “persecute us” and tease us. Moreover, the only reason for such practices, the universal charity is the perfection “at the measurement” of the to perfection of God the Father. Christ does not promise any reward for it on the earth, as it was in the Old Testament, “so you may live long and wealthy your life …“. The only reward is eternal life, what seems to be so far and sometimes distant and unrealistic for us …
The commandments are not to limit our freedom but to help us to become perfect, saint. God would like to have all of us in Heaven and this is why He tries to help us to get there.
It is easy to write about it and discuss, it is easy to teach others and to give a good advice. But how to introduce the practice of this commandment in my own life ? How not to judge and condemn hastily, how to not deliver a condemning judgments, how to forgive “seventy times seven“? How not to get frustrated as you do not see regrets, how to not carry resentment in your heart? How not to look for my own interest and did not constantly prove that I am right? How to love EVERYONE as God loves him? Would or could it even be possible? … Maybe only under certain conditions? Maybe only if the neighbor changes to accepted my point of view, stops teasing me, shows a little bit of remorse, or good will to … etc., etc. . .. Maybe I will be able to show him some kindness?
But just unconditionally and equally … without any reservations and preconditions … No! it is impossible, it is after all synonymous with naivety, it is to exposing myself to the blows and hits ….
“Do not resist evil, if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also … ” No, it’s so difficult, it’s impossible, it is naive and contrary to common sense …
But did I ever tried just follow this? Did I tried to not give evil for evil, but overcome evil with good? The radicalism of the Gospel, the requirements of the Master are unusual, and yet are not unrealistic and impossible. As many before me have tried and … showed that it is possible! They were the saints … and my vocation is to become saint!
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