Word Wide Open: The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 2/19/23

First Reading (Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18)

A reading from the Book of Leviticus.

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."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does holding a grudge hurt us so much? How does anger lead us away from God?

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 3:16-23)

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. 

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we destroy the temple of our bodies? In what ways do we deceive ourselves?

Gospel (Matthew 5:38-48)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew .

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is mercy the root of the Christian life? How can we effectively love our enemies? How can we be perfect like our Heavenly Father?