In the spirit of Feria VI after the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, we reflect on the divine virtues highlighted in the scriptural readings of Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6 and Matthew 5:43-48. These passages invite us to ponder the holiness and love that God exemplifies and to which He calls us.
Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6: The Holy One’s Favor
The passage from Ecclesiasticus extols the virtues of Moses, whom God chose and set apart for His divine work. It reads:
“Beloved of God and men, whose memory is in benediction. He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and showed him his glory. He sanctified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.”
Moses is celebrated as a paragon of holiness, chosen by God for his faith and meekness. The Church Fathers, such as St. John Chrysostom, often emphasize the importance of meekness and humility as the foundation of true holiness. St. Augustine, in his writings, highlights Moses as a prototype of Christ, whose meekness under persecution exemplifies the strength found in divine submission and obedience to God’s will.
Matthew 5:43-48: The Call to Perfect Love
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commands a radical love that surpasses human expectations:
“You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.”
This passage urges us to transcend natural inclinations and imitate the perfect love of God. St. Jerome comments on this passage, noting that to love one’s enemies is to ascend to the heights of Christian virtue, reflecting the boundless mercy of God. St. Thomas Aquinas further elaborates that such love is rooted in the divine perfection that we are called to mirror.
Integrating the Readings: The Path to Divine Perfection
The readings together present a harmonious vision of divine perfection through love and holiness. Moses, in his meekness and dedication, is a forerunner of the perfection Jesus calls us to embrace. The Fathers teach us that such holiness and love are not merely human achievements but participations in God’s own life.
St. Gregory the Great reminds us that our call to perfection involves an ongoing conversion, a daily turning towards the divine will. He emphasizes that perfect charity, as Jesus describes, requires us to love even those who oppose us, seeing in them the image of God and the potential for His grace.
Practical Applications
- Cultivating Meekness: Emulate Moses by embracing humility and faithfulness in our daily tasks, trusting that God magnifies the humble.
- Loving Enemies: Practice loving those who oppose or harm us, praying for their well-being and conversion, thus embodying Christ’s radical love.
- Daily Conversion: Engage in regular self-examination and repentance, seeking to align our hearts more closely with God’s perfect love.
In conclusion, the scriptural call to perfection is a profound invitation to embody divine virtues. As we meditate on these passages, let us strive to integrate the holiness of Moses and the boundless love Christ commands, thereby becoming true children of our Heavenly Father.
Let us pray for the grace to live out this radical love and meekness, that we may grow ever closer to the divine perfection God envisions for us.
References:
- St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew.
- St. Augustine, City of God.
- St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew.
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica.
- St. Gregory the Great, Moralia in Job.