Loving with all of one’s self, one’s being is a different kind of love

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

A reflection on the daily readings, for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Father Perry.

+ Well, is today a game changer?

Are we called to do the impossible? Is this Jesus inviting us to be perfect?

What?

What, I ask you, is going on here?

+ “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

There certainly are multiple times when one or several, or all of the disciples might, or even must have, been tempted to walk away from the Lord.

Isn’t it bad enough that God tells Moses to tell the people that they were to observe, that is, follow all of the commands and statutes of the Lord — the entire law?

So when, in Chapter 25’s opening verses, God says through Moses to: “observe these commands and statutes.

Which ones is Moses speaking about?

Well, just wander through the previous 24 chapters to get some idea.

Yikes! Every single detail of daily living is covered.

Around the third century, the Jews were said to have 613 laws and commands to follow

There is some interesting stuff related to the number 613 — numerology at its finest!

But it must be said that if there is one line in God’s little speech to Moses that hits the bullseye it would have to be the “how” they are to follow the laws and commands.

God nails it by saying: “Observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.”

This is listening to God and observing the commands of God with total self and total being.

And is that not what Jesus is asking, too?

Loving with all of one’s self and all of one’s being is a different kind of love.

It is a freeing love. It is the love of the cross. It is a love that cannot be conquered by hate. It is a love that can transform hate and even, some would say, change the world.

God tells Moses in the last sentence of today’s text that doing this is what would make them “a people sacred to the Lord.”

And is that what Jesus is saying in the last line of today’s Gospel text: “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”?

+ Clearly, there is something very divine going on in the word today.

Clearly there is invitation and a call happening before our very ears and eyes.

Clearly, God is giving and gifting, and all we need to do is see and hear and receive.

Is it really about doing it all perfectly?

I think not! It is about hearing and seeing and wanting, little by little, then lots more — day by day, day by day!

Day by day!

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Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.