Perfect…Pain

 

Lenten Reflection #8

“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48

If Jesus had posted “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” on social media today, I would have commented, “Lord naman! With matching eyeroll hanggang bumbunan emoji)” How can you love a neighbor who regularly plays blaring music and parties till three in the morning disrupting your work and sleep and even gets mad when you complain? How can you love the woman who stole your husband? Or the co-worker who backstabbed you to get a promotion? Or the business partner who left you to deal with a debt in staggering amounts? (Disclaimer for the Marites out there: problems not all mine, for example lang 😉) And the list goes on.

Jesus does ask us to do hard things. Even St. Teresa of Avila was prompted to say, “If this is the way you treat your friends, it’s no wonder You have so few.” But then again, the road to heaven is not easy to trek.

As the priest said in today’s homily, “Perfection cannot be attained without pain. It is only painful in the beginning. Later it will no longer bother you as it becomes part of your system. It is the same with praying for your enemies. And the First Reading gives the key to perfection: ‘Observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.’”

So, this Lent, let aiming for perfection be our sacrifice.

References:      Mass Homily for today – Fr. Danichi Hui

                        Carmelites.org – “Quotes from Teresa of Avila”