The first reading from the Book of Leviticus (Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18), we read that God told Moses to “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.”
For us to be holy, God listed what we need to do: not to steal, lie or speak falsely, not to swear falsely by His holy name, (thus profaning the name of your God); defraud or rob our neighbor, withhold overnight the wages of a laborer, not to curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, or act dishonestly in rendering judgment, spreading slander among our kin; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake, bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
God added “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
In the Gospel, Jesus reiterated the need to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Hence, the call to discipleship is every evolving. “Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat?
God wants us to see things as He sees them, to know things are He knows them and to like things as He likes them. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus said it well. “…Let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God’s gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God’s justice, and no one will be poor. Let us not labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need. If we do, the prophet Amos will speak out against us with sharp and threatening words: Come now, you that say: When will the new moon be over, so that we may start selling? When will the sabbath be over, so that we may start opening our treasures”?
God’s gifts are not deficient in any way.
Like the Psalmist we pray: “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life”
Have a wonderful week
