20 June 2017 - Tuesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time - Matthew 5:43-48

     The Gospel today contains a message that is not easy to follow in our lives.  We can easily harbor anger or resentment in our hearts against a neighbor or a family member or someone we don’t even know so well. Sometimes, that anger and resentment has an affect in our lives that we don't even realize. Several years ago, the History Channel did a very popular mini series on the Hatfields and the McCoys, two families that had such a terrible feud on the border of Kentucky and West Virginia that most Americans today know about that famous feud. We see acts of terrorism and violence and road rage every day.  We saw acts of violence and anger surge during the pandemic. The actor Mandy Patinkin from the cult-favorite movie The Princess Bride, which came out in 1987, gave an interview recently, reflecting on his role in that movie.  He said that the most famous line of the movie is “"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”  But he said that the line that has resonated with him the most from that movie is this near the movie’s end, as his character states: “You know, I've been in the revenge business so long, (now) I don't know what to do with myself.” Yes, it is true; sometimes revenge consumes us so that we can’t move on with our lives. 

       In the midst of the reality of so many people wanting revenge or vengeance in their lives, Jesus tells us to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect. Even if we strive toward that perfection, we will still miss the mark to one degree or another. Ignatius of Antioch, one of the Early Church Fathers, wrote in one of his letters to the Church at Rome that he wished to please God on his journey through life, rather than striving toward pleasing man. If we try to follow God’s laws, if strive toward heavenly perfection, then we will aim towards loving our neighbors as ourselves. This is a direct challenge contained in today’s Gospel.  We are all challenged to look at our conduct, to look at the values that are driving our journey through life.  As disciples of Christ, we aim toward this high standard laid out for us in Scripture.  May we always strive towards the perfection to which God calls us.