In today’s readings, we are overwhelmed with the invitation to embrace a life of heroic holiness and virtue. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament remind us of our covenant with the Lord and the lofty vocation and calling we have been given to be disciples of Jesus.
In the passage from Deuteronomy, Moses speaks of a profound commitment between God and His people. Here we find the fundamental essence of our faith: to love and serve the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul. God is not merely an accessory in our lives; He is to be our very foundation. The call to holiness is a lifelong journey, marked by faithful observance of His laws and statutes as a manifestation of a true relationship with him. As Jesus once poignantly remarked: there are many who say they love God but they do not do his will. His will is not some burdensome duty imposed upon us; rather, it is a loving invitation to be a part of something greater—to walk in His ways and to be a people peculiarly His own.
We have experienced in our lives how this close proximity to God only brings goodness into our lives. Psalm 119 echoes this sentiment, proclaiming the blessings of those who follow the law of the Lord. We are reminded that true happiness stems from our adherence to God’s decrees and our heartfelt pursuit of al things he holds as sacred. The psalmist’s yearning to keep God's statutes reflects a deep desire not just to follow rules, but to live a life saturated in God’s grace and righteousness. As we strive for holiness, we find that it begins in the heart—a heart that desires to flourish in His love.
As we transition to the words of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, we encounter the radical call to love—not just those who love us, but also our enemies. Jesus challenges us to rise above the norms of our society, which often encourages division and retaliation. This call to love, especially towards those who may seek to harm us, reflects a transformative virtue that is at the core of heroic holiness. Being perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect, is a compelling challenge. It asks of us not only to be moral in our actions but to elevate our thoughts and attitudes toward loving even those who oppose us.
Imagine, for a moment, what our communities would look like if we embodied this love. Think of the divisions that would crumble, the hatred that would dissipate, and the healing that would take place. This is not just a lofty ideal; it is Jesus' directive for how we are to live as His disciples.
The call to holiness can feel overwhelming, yet Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that “now is the day of salvation.” Each day presents us with the opportunity to begin anew. We are graced with the chance to practice virtue and to participate in this heroic journey of holiness, not because we are perfect but because God, in His infinite mercy, empowers us to strive for perfection.
Brothers and sisters, let us live out our covenant with God by being vessels of His love and mercy. Let us challenge ourselves to see holiness not simply as a list of dos and don’ts, but as a heartfelt relationship with our Creator. May we take seriously our call to be different from the world—actively loving those who may not love us back and extending grace even in the midst of conflict.
In doing so, we may indeed become a people sacred to the Lord, reflecting the light of God’s love in every corner of our lives. Let us commit ourselves to this so that we might fulfill our identity as children of our Heavenly Father—perfect in love, just as He is perfect.
Amen.
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