Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 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 and sisters only, what is unusual about that?

Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

The Word of the Lord.

One is perfect when they love perfectly, not when they have achieved all virtues. And love is perfect when it loves everyone in all circumstances.

The first characteristic of the perfect one is that they don’t go around being “perfect” in life, but see everyone else as much more perfect. The second is that they are not focused on growing in their own perfection, but on God and the needs of their spouse. The third is that they know themselves as children of God, the giver of all and the doer of all. The only perfect one.

Ramón: Marta, I admire how much you love the Lord and how much you want to love me.

Marta: Ramón, I admire your faithfulness and perseverance in the love of God and love for me.

The Lord: You are not far from the kingdom of God.

Mother,

Lead us to Him. Thank you, Mother.