When in the gospel passage we hear Jesus telling us to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect – we somehow think he does not really mean it. Jesus must understand and know: how can a human being be as perfect as God is perfect? Well, he cannot – on his own initiative and of his own power. But he can approach perfection and one day actually reach it because Jesus tells us to do it! The words of Jesus, the words of God are effective: this means, they really accomplish whatever it is they are saying: so when Jesus says to us "be perfect" he is actually giving us the grace to choose perfection as our course, our goal and our destination, and giving us the power to make it happen. And if we stay true to the course then we shall reach the fullness of perfection one day in the Kingdom when Jesus comes again and establishes it in its completeness.
Perfection then means going above and beyond mere human, earth-bound reactions to situations. It means loving enemies; praying for persecutors, greeting those you would rather not! Jesus empowers us to do these things simply because he tells us to do them! This is good news! We do not have to be slaves to destructive lower reactions and thoughts of revenge.
In the first reading St. Paul congratulates the Church of Macedonia for being truly Christ-like in the face of opposition: thus being motivated by the goal of perfection to be completed at the end of the course. They did so thinking of Christ Jesus who left everything behind and became poor and mistreated for us and our salvation. He became perfect by embracing persecutions and by being put to death unjustly!
May we this day ever strive to do what seems to be contrary to human nature, but not contrary to our divine calling, and befriend all others and thus make what Jesus did for all available to all – through our own willingness to be instruments of love and friendship and peace!
I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.
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