What does the Word of God tell us this Sunday February 23

Love your enemies!

The book of Leviticus, in today's first reading, calls us to holiness. Jesus, in the Gospel, asks us to love enemies. Is it possible to love without limits? Is it possible even love our enemies? Certainly we are imperfect, weak and very limited but the good news is that God reveals his own being to us and asking us to live his commandment of love is telling us at the same time who He is, how He manifests himself to us, how He looks at us and how He wants to relate to us.

The commandment of love is a gift from God. Jesus himself does not oblige us; He imposes nothing on us. He only gives himself, gives himself up. God sends us his love, sends Him to us and, gives Him to us. And if we are open to that gift, then, that gift will be in us. It is the same life of God acting in us. It is grace, it is the blessing. Then the words of the Leviticus that says “Be holy, because I, the Lord, I am holy” makes sense and Jesus takes them up to tell us “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect’’. From this reality, then, if it will be possible to love without limits.