Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 79
19 FEB 2023 A.D.


Reading 1
Lv 19:1-2, 17-18

The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD."


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.


Reading 2
1 Cor 3:16-23

Brothers and sisters:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Let no one deceive himself.
If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:
God catches the wise in their own ruses,
and again:
The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.


Alleluia
1 Jn 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Mt 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand over your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."


Overview of the Gospel:

• Continuing with the Sermon on the Mount we have been hearing from in the last several weeks, this
Sunday we will hear the remainder of the section of Matthew 5 sometimes called “the Six Antitheses”.
Each antithesis follows a similar format: Jesus citing the Old Law, saying “you have heard it was
said…”, and responding with the refrain “…But I say to you”. Jesus is thus established as the new
Moses and the lawgiver of the New Covenant.

• In verses 38-42, Jesus speaks about the law of retaliation. The command “an eye for an eye, a tooth for
a tooth” (taken from Exodus 21:24) sounds harsh to our ears, but in the context of the ancient Middle
East, it was actually an enlightened improvement on the prevailing practice which allowed unlimited
retaliation for offenses committed. Even so, Jesus goes even further in eliminating the policy of private
retaliation from the personal life of the disciple (Romans 12:17).

• In verses 43-48, Jesus reminds his hearers of what was considered one of the two greatest
commandments (Mt 22:39), that is, to love one’s neighbor as oneself (see Lev 19:18) along with the
common belief that one should “hate” their enemies (the Jews of the time had a very definition of
“neighbor”, restricting it to fellow Jews; thus the parable of the Good Samaritan. See Lk 10:29-37).
Jesus, in this instance, removes limits on to whom they are to extend their charity. In fact, they (and we)
are to strive to imitate the perfection of God the Father who has solicitude for all (verses 45, 48).
[special thanks to Vince Contreras: "Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics"]


"Your duty is to sanctify yourself. Yes, even you. Who thinks that this task is only for priests and religious? To everyone, without exception, our Lord said: `Be ye perfect, as My Heavenly Father is perfect'. ~St Josemaria Escriva

Thanks!

Our pleasure, Brother, tortilla-flats!

Have a beautiful Mass and week!