TUESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 5:43-48 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." (Mt 5:44)

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the first book of Kings

1 Kgs 21:17-29

After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:

"Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,

who rules in Samaria.

He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,

of which he has come to take possession.

This is what you shall tell him,

'The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?

For this, the LORD says:

In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,

the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.'"

Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me out, my enemy?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD's sight,

I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy you

and will cut off every male in Ahab's line,

whether slave or freeman, in Israel.

I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,

and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah,

because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin."

(Against Jezebel, too, the LORD declared,

"The dogs shall devour Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.")

"When one of Ahab's line dies in the city,

dogs will devour him;

when one of them dies in the field,

the birds of the sky will devour him."

Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil

in the sight of the LORD as did Ahab,

urged on by his wife Jezebel.

He became completely abominable by following idols,

just as the Amorites had done,

whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments

and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh.

He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued.

Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite,

"Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me?

Since he has humbled himself before me,

I will not bring the evil in his time.

I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son."

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

"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."

TUESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 5:43-48

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In God's Word today, God calls everyone to live and practice these two important things: - Live true to our identity as children of God the Father.

- Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

There are two places in this world: Heaven is a place of happiness, where God the Father always resides. The world is where the creatures that God created live, of which humans are the highest creations. Heaven and earth are places where God the Father always resides and is present. And the happiest thing for humans is that God the Father is always present and reigns in those souls who live pure, holy and loving lives. That is why God calls all of His children: to love our enemies and pray for those who hate and those who harm us. That is also what God the Father calls all those who want to become true children of God the Father, to live as the Father teaches. Do not live a life of revenge and retaliation in the world's way. This is because only God, who gives the Law to humans, has the right to judge and He always rewards and punishes very fairly.

God the Father is the One who has complete authority over all things that He has created. And out of love for humans, God the Father created humans in His image. He allowed humans to be children of God, to participate in His divine nature. Yet there are people who betray God and oppose Him. But because God's nature is love and compassion, He always forgives and shows His immense mercy, pouring out countless blessings on everyone living on this earth: "He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” He gives all creatures the same blessings, such as: having air, breath, light, and everything to nourish humans. Now He calls all His children to :

- Look at the image of the only Son of God, the Father of love, in order to imitate Him and learn how to forgive, love, and give what we have.

- Do not be jealous, do not hate, do not be arrogant, because everything we have comes from God, it is not ours.

- Live meekly and humbly so that our hearts can be tolerant, forgive, and love those who hate and persecute us.

Living like this is very pleasing to God the Father. It is also what He wants to calls everyone: to walk and live according to these instructions to become perfect, good, and holy like God the Father is Holy. Those who live according to His teachings will receive a worthy reward from Him in heaven. They will enjoy the happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven in the future and will be worthy of all the sacrifices and efforts that they have put towards God the Father and towards others.

Thanks be to God. Amen.