The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbour, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy and that temple you are.
Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apol’los or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbour, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.
Second reading 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apol’los or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
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, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Reflection
By Benj Santiago
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
If any one destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are.”
I believe that each one of us has learned early in life through catechism that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. But undeniably one time or in many occasions we had violated someone, or even our own body.
Drug abuse, murder, rape, and many other forms of violence against the temple of the Holy Spirit abound around us, in our country, in the community we live in, and even in our own families. In spite of the fact that we know that God’s Spirit dwells in each one of us.
Greed, lust, materialism, and hatred are most common cause that push one to destroy the other.
But all is not lost. There is still hope.In Leviticus 19:18 it says “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”. The ultimate remedy is LOVE. As we enter the season of Lent, it is a great reminder to repent and turn away from our sins. It won’t be an easy battle. Thus, we need to invoke the Holy Spirit that dwells in us to make love to reign in our hearts.
Prayer
Come Holy Spirit and change our ways of sinfulness. Let love reign in our hearts for ourselves and for all the people we meet and interface with. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
If any one destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are.”
I believe that each one of us has learned early in life through catechism that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. But undeniably one time or in many occasions we had violated someone, or even our own body.
Drug abuse, murder, rape, and many other forms of violence against the temple of the Holy Spirit abound around us, in our country, in the community we live in, and even in our own families. In spite of the fact that we know that God’s Spirit dwells in each one of us.
Greed, lust, materialism, and hatred are most common cause that push one to destroy the other.
But all is not lost. There is still hope.In Leviticus 19:18 it says “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”. The ultimate remedy is LOVE. As we enter the season of Lent, it is a great reminder to repent and turn away from our sins. It won’t be an easy battle. Thus, we need to invoke the Holy Spirit that dwells in us to make love to reign in our hearts.
Prayer
Come Holy Spirit and change our ways of sinfulness. Let love reign in our hearts for ourselves and for all the people we meet and interface with. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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