HE CAN BE PERFECT AT 5" TALL OR LESS
Tuesday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Mt 5:43-48
When a friend of mine said that his son would someday play basketball very well, I agreed. My friend played basketball so well when we were in high school. Thus, that his son would become a basketball player was very probable. However, when my friend beamingly said that his son would grow 6” tall, I simply smiled and took his words as the usual that can come from parents only. I wondered where his son would get the attribute of being 6” tall. You see, my friend is 5’3” while his wife is 5” flat. That his son would grow 6” tall – you wish!
It seems at first that it is easier for my friend’s son to grow 6” tall rather than to be perfect as Jesus tells us to be. But truly, it is easier for us to be perfect rather than for my friend’s son to grow 6” tall. The reason is that God, our Father, is perfect. It is from Him that we can get the attribute of perfection. Moreover, we were created in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26-27), remember?
Because God is love (1 Jn 4:8), perfection means loving like God Himself. To gauge how perfect we are, we must examine how we love. If we love only those who love us, we are not perfect. If we love our friends but hate our detractors, we are not perfect. If we are not perfect, we are not true to our image and likeness.
To love is a decision. To be perfect, therefore, is a decision too. We have to decide to be perfect and love even the unlovable. We work on being perfect as we strive to love both friend and foe. We pray to be perfect as we pray for both friend and foe.
My friend’s son is, by the way, in the 7th Grade now. My friend and his wife are proud and happy about their son’s good character combined with good brains and good looks. I do not know if he plays basketball though. But am very sure, by just looking at him and his parents, this kid will not grow 6” tall. No big deal though, he can be perfect at 5” tall or even less.
Mt 5:43-48
When a friend of mine said that his son would someday play basketball very well, I agreed. My friend played basketball so well when we were in high school. Thus, that his son would become a basketball player was very probable. However, when my friend beamingly said that his son would grow 6” tall, I simply smiled and took his words as the usual that can come from parents only. I wondered where his son would get the attribute of being 6” tall. You see, my friend is 5’3” while his wife is 5” flat. That his son would grow 6” tall – you wish!
It seems at first that it is easier for my friend’s son to grow 6” tall rather than to be perfect as Jesus tells us to be. But truly, it is easier for us to be perfect rather than for my friend’s son to grow 6” tall. The reason is that God, our Father, is perfect. It is from Him that we can get the attribute of perfection. Moreover, we were created in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26-27), remember?
Because God is love (1 Jn 4:8), perfection means loving like God Himself. To gauge how perfect we are, we must examine how we love. If we love only those who love us, we are not perfect. If we love our friends but hate our detractors, we are not perfect. If we are not perfect, we are not true to our image and likeness.
To love is a decision. To be perfect, therefore, is a decision too. We have to decide to be perfect and love even the unlovable. We work on being perfect as we strive to love both friend and foe. We pray to be perfect as we pray for both friend and foe.
My friend’s son is, by the way, in the 7th Grade now. My friend and his wife are proud and happy about their son’s good character combined with good brains and good looks. I do not know if he plays basketball though. But am very sure, by just looking at him and his parents, this kid will not grow 6” tall. No big deal though, he can be perfect at 5” tall or even less.
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 3:00 PM
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