WHEN Jesus said in the Gospel that he came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, he meant it well. In fact, he wants this Law of Love to come to fruition in many concrete ways, to penetrate and to affect our lives deeply. For following this Law makes us holy, which means “distinct” from the world. That’s why we heard him say in the Gospel a few Sundays ago that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
To be distinct means not to have small minds but to expand our minds and hearts on making the laws of God change radically our relationship with one another as families, communities, and citizens of this world. It’s to think and act like God who can forgive the most pitiable sinner, who ask us to forgive our enemies.
And so Jesus commands us to “offer no resistance to one who is evil.” He explicates: “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 ask of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”
Indeed, these behaviors would be distinct from the many worldly ways that are revengeful, hateful, arrogant, divisive, corrupt, and selfish.
God wants us to be the best version of his self, not only of our selves. He wants us all to shine like the stars in heaven, to “be perfect” as our heavenly Father is perfect. This does not mean just achievement in one’s profession or in the aspects of science and business, but most fundamentally in the ways of treating our neighbors with love and peace.
Some of the people in our modern times who have exemplified the distinct ways of being Christians are Fr. Gregory Boyle S.J. and the parishioners of Dolores Mission in East Los Angeles. In his book, Tatoos on the Heart, Fr. Boyle shares the tremendous power of boundless compassion of God through their redemptive works with gangs. When many people give up on transforming the lives of gang members, Fr. Boyle and his parishioners continue to believe in the power to inspire these young people to change through unconditional love and concrete projects that fight despair like the Homeboy Industries, which provide jobs for gang members. Fr. Boyle’s ministry has caught the attention of the world and his church became “distinctly” holy, the light of the world and the salt of the earth.
May we too excel in following the ways of God! As individuals and communities, may we distinctly grow in holiness through boundless compassion toward our neighbors! Amen.
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Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
