Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – February 23, 2020

Our sharing today was rooted in the last verse of the Gospel: “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Is Jesus asking the impossible? What mere human being can ever hope to be perfect, especially when the standard is God Himself?

The key to interpreting this difficult saying lies in our concept of perfection. We tend to think of it solely in terms of perfectionism, but consulting similar passages elsewhere in Scripture reveals that God has a different idea of what makes a person perfect. For instance, the First Reading for today, from the book of Leviticus, contains the command: “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Then there is the evangelist Luke’s parallel to today’s Gospel: “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” The Holy Spirit, speaking through the inspired authors, seems to be equating perfection not with obsessive perfectionism, but with holiness and mercy.

In a commentary consulted by several of the Sisters, Dr. Brant Pitre points out that the word Matthew’s Gospel uses for “perfect” could be better translated “complete” or “whole.” Thus, when we embrace a life of holiness and mercy, we are made more whole – more perfect – more completely who God created us to be. While human perfectionism is compulsive and limiting, the perfection Jesus demands is healthy and freeing. The Father does not seek rigid uniformity, but rather wholeness and fulfillment for each of His children. However, in a fallen world this can sometimes look “messy.” The world, the flesh, and the devil are fighting tooth and nail against our growth in God’s perfection, so embracing His plan will never be easy.  Yet the “messiness” of the Cross is paradoxically the most perfect action ever achieved on earth, and it is by sharing in Jesus’s Cross that we, too, find fulfillment.

With this shift in how we view perfection, we can see new layers of meaning in the Second Reading for today. Though it is not obvious in the English translation, St. Paul is speaking in the plural when he declares, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” We as a community, as the Church, are the new Temple, and as such we are called to help each other reach perfection. We do this insofar as we maintain authentic unity in union with Christ.  When, however, we are the cause of divisions, we are in a sense guilty of sacrilege, since we are profaning the Temple of God!

In our relationships with our fellow members of the Church, the difference between perfection and perfectionism is especially clear. Sometimes, it is more perfect to let someone be less than “perfect” according to our standards! We need to put the demands of true charity above all else, and sometimes charity means holding off on immediately correcting someone. After all, the supreme rule of the Church is the salvation of souls; we should always ask God’s guidance, that all of our actions be directed to this end.

Ash Wednesday has arrived, and with it begins our liturgical journey from the desert to Calvary -- join us next week as we share our reflections on the readings for the First Sunday of Lent!