If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly
only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
REFLECTION:
"Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect!”
In his gospel, Matthew uses the word “perfect” only twice; first in chapter 5 and in chapter 19 when the
rich young man asked Jesus, “what must I do to gain eternal life?” and then Jesus said, “if you wish to be perfect, go
sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven”. Jesus equates perfection with eternal life.
So, perfection here does not mean being essentially perfect and pure. Rather, it means making perfection as our goal;
making life’s objective to be blameless, to be merciful, to be holy. Doing so will attune our life to follow God’s ways
and we will grow into the perfection of our heavenly Father.
Jesus wants us not just to do the usual thing: greeting our friends and loving those who are good to us.
We are called to act not as the world does but to live out the gospel values always. In doing so,
we stretch our human capacity and train our very being to reach our goal.
Our life here on earth is like a long preparation for the great Feast in Heaven. We look forward to our goal,
the Kingdom, the House of the Father, where there is perfection.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020