R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

Late one night, a truck driver pulled into a truck stop for a rest and a bit to eat. As he was eating, three rowdy motorcyclists made their way into the café. For some unknown reason they gravitated toward the truck driver. The first one grabbed a salt shaker, opened it, and poured salt on the truck driver’s head. The second stuck his finger in the man’s mashed potatoes and gravy, while the third knocked the truck driver’s coffee over spilling the hot liquid onto the man’s lap. 

The truck driver got up, said nothing, paid his bill and proceeded to his truck. “That dude sure wasn’t much of a fighter” sneered one of the motorcyclists. Just then, the waitress peered out the window and into the parking lot. “He’s not much of a driver either”, she said. “He just ran over three motorcycles!”

Don’t we all revel when we see nasty people getting their just deserts? Yet, in today’s Sacred Gospel reading, Jesus addresses retribution. “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.” 

“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.” 

And, as Martin Luther King once said, if we always exact retribution every time we are injured or offended, we would all be going around blind and toothless. If all of us had to get even for every hurt in life, we would all end up hating one another and loving no one. And, if there’s one thing we know about Jesus, He’s all about love and not hate.

Anger is part of our human emotions. There will be times when we are disappointed in other’s actions even to the point of anger. In those times we need to dig deep into ourselves and choose the path to forgiveness. St. Paul even echoes Christ’s teachings; “If you are angry, let it be without sin. Do not give the devil a chance to work on you (Eph 4:26-27). 

This type of love is radical, especially in today’s society when, if someone doesn’t agree with you, they cancel you; they demean, malign, and degrade you. Yet, this type of love for one’s persecutors is precisely what makes those who forgive others children of our Heavenly Father.

This doesn’t mean we accept wrong doings by others. It doesn’t mean we give license to or enable sinful actions. But it does mean that we are not to return one offense for another for we must take on the characteristics of the Father Himself. 

And so, as much as we desire to get even with those who have offended us, as followers of Christ we must love. But, what is love? True love is not a feeling but a choice of the will; the will to do good for your neighbor. With the Grace of God, we control our will and make a conscience decision to love, to pray for, and forgive those who trespass against us. And we make this world better one person at the time.

In your dealings with others this week, pay close attention to those people with whom you struggle the most. Perhaps God is giving you opportunities to grow in love. You need only to ask Him for patience and trust to treat others with the same love and concern that God gives to each of us; for He calls each of us to be perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

During the Sundays of Ordinary Time after Christmas, we can hear clearly the meaningful call to follow Jesus Christ.  Being a just nice person is not what the Gospel is about. The Gospel is about following Jesus, us becoming His disciples, spending our lives by serving Him and allowing ourselves to be formed by Him.  I realize none of us wants to be an extremist.  But, on the other hand, it is clear that Jesus invites us to follow Him in a very extreme kind of way.

Today’s first reading from Leviticus invites us to be holy as God is holy.  This and any invitation from the Lord needs to be taken more seriously.  We, as humans, often take our time responding to God, even when we have the best of that desire. Saints seem to respond completely and immediately to the Lord. Most of us say yes to God and then take our time giving our whole self.  We give in bit by bit.  That is why Jesus in today’s Gospel presents His teaching so frankly.  He does not want us to misunderstand what it means to follow Him.  We must be willing to give up everything.

You see, we are called to be holy and called to be perfect. There are times that can cause all kinds of desires and tension in some people, so we must make sure that we understand these words.  Holiness is simply living for God in every aspect of our lives.  Perfection is not in doing everything perfectly, but in loving others in God as we love God Himself.  We shall never be without our sins at the level of doing, but in the level of loving, the more we let God’s love go through us and to others, the more wonderful it will be.

We are called to live as temples of the Lord, Today’s second reading is really clear in that all that is good in us comes from the Lord.  If we are to be wise, it can only be as God is wise.  If we are to boast, it can only be about what God has done in us, in others, and in our world.

Let us give thanks to God in this Mass today, that we have been given the gift of Faith.  Let us ask that our Faith may be lively and draws us deeper and deeper into the mysteries of God. Let us become sincere in our living and gentle in our loving.  

This week as you begin your Lenten journey, begin by saying something honest and sincere to God and reflect on what you might “give up” or rearrange in order to create more space and passion for this most important relationship with Him.  Be holy, be perfect before Him!

Deacon Antonio Falasca, Jr., Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

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.”

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

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.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.