February 19, 2017: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Law, God commanded His people to show love for their fellow people, and to put limitations on punishment, so as to fit the crime, and no more.  Jesus expands the scope of those commandments to declare that we should love all people, even those who wrong us, a reflection of God's character, Who loves all, and does good to the just and unjust.  Indeed, His kindness and mercy are boundless to all people.

God's Spirit dwells in us, making us Temples of His presence to all people as we show them the Love He has shown us, a reflection of His wisdom that is far beyond our understanding, but always present when we reach out to love our neighbors, who are anyone.  We thus obey the command to be holy and perfect in reflecting the very character of our God Who is Holy, set apart, just as He has set us apart to be His people of His very presence.