Moses instructed the people to carefully
observe the whole commandments and ordinances of the Lord. “You shall therefore
be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” Think about
what it means to keep the commandments in one’s heart and soul! That means one’s
life cannot be separated from the commandments, despite the external
conditions. In turn the Lord declares that those who take His commandments to
heart shall be His own possession, He will set them high above all nations, in
praise and in fame and in honour, “And that you shall be a people holy to the
Lord your God, as He has spoken.”
Such a person, whose heart and soul are inclined to God’s Commandment, must reflect the true image of God. “Thus, we shall become the perfect Man, upon reaching maturity, and sharing the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). In Jesus, humanity has been fully owned and possessed by God; the Heart of Jesus never deviated from the will of God. As Jesus is the perfect image of the unseen God (Col 1:15), He gives us the grace to become children of God (Jn 1:12).
Therefore, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of today that the ‘resemblance’ of God we must bear as His Children is love; love that is patterned after God’s love for us, not the love that is conditioned by other people. “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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...” God did not adopt us as His sons and daughters in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:5) that we might settle for less or be minimal in righteousness! He has equipped us for every good action (2 Tim 3:17; Heb 13:21), even to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Our heart and soul are fully absorbed in Him as we contemplate the mystery of Jesus Christ. So, any enemy below cannot pull us down from this mountain of grace. We possess the love that conquers hatred; we offer the charity that goes beyond boarders! Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Saturday February 27th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
