1st Reading: 1 Kgs 21:17-29
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 51:3-6,11,16
Gospel: Mt 5:43-48
We are given a command from Jesus at the end of this Gospel passage which should come off as impossible to answer. We are told: "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Of course each of us knows that we can never live up to the perfection that is found in God because each of us acknowledge the reality that we are sinners. Attempting to strive for this perfection should also come off as a scary reality after reading from 1st Kings today where we are told about Ahab and all the suffering that he would have to endure because of his lack of perfection.
Thankfully we see Ahab's desire to act out of humility because he was willing to acknowledge that was a sinner. We see him tear his garments, place a sackcloth upon himself, and fast as a way to conform himself more and more to the perfection of God. These acts of mortification of the flesh were Ahab's way to acknowledge his sinfulness and move himself away from his lack of perfection. We join with him as we say "be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned." In saying this we acknowledge the reality of our sinfulness, but also acknowledge the reality of God's great mercy.
May each of us today continue our work on earth to strive towards being more like our heavenly Father who is perfect. May we allow prayer into our lives, so that each day we can grow to be more and more like Christ. If we look to the saints we can see men and women who trusted in prayer and daily comforted themselves more and more to the perfection of God. Today we remember Saint Romuald who was a monk whose example showed many of the possibility of turning away from sin. Through his example may we cry out: "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned" as we strive daily to conform ourselves daily to the perfection found in our heavenly Father.
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