WHAT MORE ARE YOU DOING…

Deuteronomy 26:16-19
16 “This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances; you shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.
17 You have declared this day concerning the LORD that he is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his ordinances, and will obey his voice;
18 and the LORD has declared this day concerning you that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,19 that he will set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honor, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he has spoken.”

Matthew 5:43-48 
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

MEDITATION 

THE FIRST READING: Moses relay to the people a set of rules also known as ecclesiastical statutes or civil inactments, to rightly order their way of living and doing, which will signify that they are indeed God’s people who have been set aside above all other nations. 

THE GOSPEL READING: Our penchant to only aid, be charitable, loving and caring for those who are “on our level,” in the sense that they have the means that match our societal standing and values such that they can reciprocate should our well run dry, is laid bare by Christ who consider such behavioral patterns as being unjust and biast. If this is indeed our way of living, then we have strayed from living the new covenant statutes and ordinances.

Jesus raised the moral bar when He teach us to love and pray for our enemies, a statute that opposed the prevailing societal norm. Christ underscores His proposition by pointing out that the Father is not; biased, partial nor prejudicial, wherefore He water and illuminate both the just and unjust with His earthly gifts. We are similarly called to do more for the marginalized, aged, sick and the poor who can never repay us, failing which our faith can be said to reflect and exposit a perverted form of Christianity!

LET US PRAY:Psalms 119:1-2,4-5,7-8

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.