READING OF THE DAY First reading from the book of Leviticus LV 19:1-2, 17-18
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.
“You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
Second reading from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 1 COR 3:16-23
Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses, and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Matthew MT 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER This is the Christian style, this is the manner of Christian living. But if I do not do these four things? Loving enemies, doing good to those who hate me, blessing those who curse me, and praying for those who mistreat me, am I not a Christian? Yes, you are a Christian because you have received Baptism, but you are not living like a Christian. You are living like a pagan, with the spirit of worldliness. Only the merciful are like God the Father. ‘Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.’ This is the path, the path that goes against the spirit of the world, that thinks differently, that does not accuse others. Because among us is the “Great Accuser,” the one who is always going about to accuse us before God, to destroy. Satan: he is the “Great Accuser.” And when I enter into this logic of accusing, of cursing, seeking to do evil to others, I enter into the logic of the “Great Accuser” who is the “Destroyer,” who does not know the word mercy, does not know, has never lived it. You cannot enter into the logic of the accuser. ‘But Father, I have to accuse.’ Yes, accuse yourself. You do well. For the other, only mercy, because we are children of the Father who is merciful. (Santa Marta, 13 September 2018)
FAUSTI - Jesus proposes and gives the new economy of love, which wins that of selfishness.Five examples follow , which are also five rules with which they show how to win evil with good. (Rom12,21). The first rule to win evil is to set oneself against evil and not wicked.. Evil first and foremost to those who do it, and it must not be returned. The wicked, first victim of evil, he is my brother, who must be loved with more heart. Jesus loves sinners because He hates sin; I hate sinners because I love sin. Sinners are subject of compassion for Him, of detestation for me.. My dislike for sinner reveals my sympathy for sin, my disassociation from wicked , my participation to evil Only a pure heart loves tenderly the sinner. He has the compassion that overcomes evil itself. . Rather than returning by doubling it, he has the strength to bear it, to suffer-with the other, as the Lamb of God that brings and takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). If the first rule to win evil is not to return it, the second is the disposability to bear the double in order not to double it. The Christian "tolerance" is not indifference to evil, but strength to tolerate (bring) upon hitself other's evil is " the lift" ability to "carry each another's burdens ", that is how to keep the Law of Christ ( Gal 6,2). It 's rare gratuitous love, with which one receives the other as it is. We all need it - who is not loved and accepted by anyone, it does not exist! - To love ourselves and to love in our turn, as we are loved. When you read the Bible, it must be remembered that God speaks a human language. There is an evolution in the revelation, from the strong and terrible God, common to all peoples, we come gradually to the gracious and merciful God, forbearing and of great love That let pity of oneself(Gen 4.2).During the Messianic era their swords will be trasformed into ploughshares and their spears into sickles (Is 2,4). Then the wolf too shall live with the lamb, and the Wisdom of the Lord will fill the land as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11: 6, 9). Whit Jesus that time has come .Love for the enemy is the essence of Christianity. To love your enemy means having known God in the Spirit. God in fact has no enemies, but only sons, who are brothers to love for me As All the imperatives of Jesus, they are not impossible burdens, but liberating gifts. Who does not love the enemy, has not yet the Spirit of the Lord, who here reveals the infinity and the gratuity of His Love (Romans 5: 6-11). Now, loving the enemies and praying for the persecutors, I become what I am: son of the Father. If I do not love the enemy, I am the enemy of God, I do not consider myself His son, and I can not say "Our Father”.>God does not cut the light and water to those who does not pay the bill. His sun and His rain , His love and His mercy, are for everyone, because everybody He recognizes as sons, waiting for someone to recognize Him as Father, accepting the others as brothers.
--The love of the enemy, however, is clear revelation of God's unconditional love. "So be you perfect" The Sermon on the Mount is a mountain range. This verse is the highest point of arrival, the panoramic summit, where you can see everything. "Be holy because I am holy" (LV 11, 44-45-17,1 - 19:21) is the principle of the law. Man is in the image of God, it is hitself only if like Him, "the Holy". Holiness is an attribute of God: He alone is God, Holy, more than any other. His "otherness" is known to us through Jesus. It is of the Father who loves just men and sinners. On the cross, where everything will be accomplished (Jn 19:30) and he will be recognized as the Son (27, 54) we see the holiness of the Father, of whom He is the perfect realization. This holiness does not separate from the world and from the sinner, but becomes compassion that is compromised in any situation, Mercy that comes into any misery. Luke translates this verse of Matthew thus: " Be merciful as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36), where "mercy" makes a Hebrew word that means "uterine, motherly" The characteristic of God the Father is His being Mother ! Mercy is more purifying than every "holiness" that divides just and unjust. Mercy is more purifying than any "holiness" that divides righteous and unjust. It is the burning holiness of the Cross, the Other Holiness, of the other, which we encounter in each other, including the enemy !.
READING OF THE DAY
RispondiEliminaFirst reading from the book of Leviticus
LV 19:1-2, 17-18
The LORD said to Moses,
“Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.
“You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD.”
Second reading from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
1 COR 3:16-23
Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Let no one deceive himself.
If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are vain.
So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
MT 5:38-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand over your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
This is the Christian style, this is the manner of Christian living. But if I do not do these four things? Loving enemies, doing good to those who hate me, blessing those who curse me, and praying for those who mistreat me, am I not a Christian? Yes, you are a Christian because you have received Baptism, but you are not living like a Christian. You are living like a pagan, with the spirit of worldliness. Only the merciful are like God the Father. ‘Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.’ This is the path, the path that goes against the spirit of the world, that thinks differently, that does not accuse others. Because among us is the “Great Accuser,” the one who is always going about to accuse us before God, to destroy. Satan: he is the “Great Accuser.” And when I enter into this logic of accusing, of cursing, seeking to do evil to others, I enter into the logic of the “Great Accuser” who is the “Destroyer,” who does not know the word mercy, does not know, has never lived it. You cannot enter into the logic of the accuser. ‘But Father, I have to accuse.’ Yes, accuse yourself. You do well. For the other, only mercy, because we are children of the Father who is merciful. (Santa Marta, 13 September 2018)
FAUSTI - Jesus proposes and gives the new economy of love, which wins that of selfishness.Five examples follow , which are also five rules with which they show how to win evil with good. (Rom12,21).
RispondiEliminaThe first rule to win evil is to set oneself against evil and not wicked.. Evil first and foremost to those who do it, and it must not be returned. The wicked, first victim of evil, he is my brother, who must be loved with more heart. Jesus loves sinners because He hates sin; I hate sinners because I love sin. Sinners are subject of compassion for Him, of detestation for me..
My dislike for sinner reveals my sympathy for sin, my disassociation from wicked , my participation to evil
Only a pure heart loves tenderly the sinner. He has the compassion that overcomes evil itself. . Rather than returning by doubling it, he has the strength to bear it, to suffer-with the other, as the Lamb of God that brings and takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).
If the first rule to win evil is not to return it, the second is the disposability to bear the double in order not to double it. The Christian "tolerance" is not indifference to evil, but strength to tolerate (bring) upon hitself other's evil is " the lift" ability to "carry each another's burdens ", that is how to keep the Law of Christ ( Gal 6,2). It 's rare gratuitous love, with which one receives the other as it is. We all need it - who is not loved and accepted by anyone, it does not exist! - To love ourselves and to love in our turn, as we are loved.
When you read the Bible, it must be remembered that God speaks a human language.
There is an evolution in the revelation, from the strong and terrible God, common to all peoples, we come gradually to the gracious and merciful God, forbearing and of great love That let pity of oneself(Gen 4.2).During the Messianic era their swords will be trasformed into ploughshares and their spears into sickles (Is 2,4). Then the wolf too shall live with the lamb, and the Wisdom of the Lord will fill the land as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11: 6, 9).
Whit Jesus that time has come .Love for the enemy is the essence of Christianity. To love your enemy means having known God in the Spirit. God in fact has no enemies, but only sons, who are brothers to love for me
As All the imperatives of Jesus, they are not impossible burdens, but liberating gifts. Who does not love the enemy, has not yet the Spirit of the Lord, who here reveals the infinity and the gratuity of His Love (Romans 5: 6-11). Now, loving the enemies and praying for the persecutors, I become what I am: son of the Father. If I do not love the enemy, I am the enemy of God, I do not consider myself His son, and I can not say "Our Father”.>God does not cut the light and water to those who does not pay the bill. His sun and His rain , His love and His mercy, are for everyone, because everybody He recognizes as sons, waiting for someone to recognize Him as Father, accepting the others as brothers.
--The love of the enemy, however, is clear revelation of God's unconditional love.
RispondiElimina"So be you perfect" The Sermon on the Mount is a mountain range. This verse is the highest point of arrival, the panoramic summit, where you can see everything.
"Be holy because I am holy" (LV 11, 44-45-17,1 - 19:21) is the principle of the law.
Man is in the image of God, it is hitself only if like Him, "the Holy".
Holiness is an attribute of God: He alone is God, Holy, more than any other.
His "otherness" is known to us through Jesus. It is of the Father who loves just men and sinners.
On the cross, where everything will be accomplished (Jn 19:30) and he will be recognized as the Son (27, 54) we see the holiness of the Father, of whom He is the perfect realization.
This holiness does not separate from the world and from the sinner, but becomes compassion that is compromised in any situation, Mercy that comes into any misery. Luke translates this verse of Matthew thus: " Be merciful as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36), where "mercy" makes a Hebrew word that means "uterine, motherly"
The characteristic of God the Father is His being Mother !
Mercy is more purifying than every "holiness" that divides just and unjust.
Mercy is more purifying than any "holiness" that divides righteous and unjust. It is the burning holiness of the Cross, the Other Holiness, of the other, which we encounter in each other, including the enemy !.