God’s temple is holy and you are that temple

The liturgy of the 7th Sunday in ordinary time is based on the following readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48. The main theme as it is clearly stated in the three readings with unequivocal words is a call to a kind of holiness that is evident in our daily lives. In the first reading this is stated in the following words: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” Lev.19:2. In the second reading Paul warns the Corinthians: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” 1 Cor.3:16. In the Gospel Jesus advises against the principle of eye for an eye, which is based on pure revenge but rather teaches to be gentle with all. And to those who were asking themselves why all that, Jesus answers: ‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ Matt. 5: 48. From a doctrinal point of view, what we are asked to do is not simple though not impossible; to be holy as the Father is holy. Holiness is not something that belongs to man by nature. The people we meet on our streets, in our villages and those with whom we rub shoulders in our every day activities are not living saints. They are people with their limitations. Neither does human nature on its own acquire holiness by reading spiritual books nor by ascetic and moral effort which is purely human. Holiness comes to us from above, from God, rather than from nature. That is why Jesus calls us to let God’s holiness enter into our person. And it is precisely by opening our soul wide to this sanctifying action that we progressively fulfill that call to holiness. How can we achieve holiness? According to Jesus; the most excellent way to holiness is love which is the summery of all commandments. ‘In love for God and neighbor is found the whole Law and the Prophets’. St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians goes deeper in the theme of holiness in relating it to wisdom. The Christians of Corinth esteemed and loved wisdom. They were proud of this wisdom handed to them by their ancestors. Paul tells them that they should distinguish between the wisdom according to God and wisdom according to the world. Without despising worldly wisdom, he states that only the wisdom according to God leads us along the way towards holiness. It makes us discover and consequently live out the truth that all of creation is at the service and in benefit of man, but that at the same time, man belongs to Christ who has redeemed man and showed him the way to the Father. From a pastoral point of view, the Church teaches us that to be holy, is not necessary to do extraordinary things. In fact, our holiness is in the daily duties of our family, work, rest, human relationships, and many such usual things we do on a daily basis. We grow in holiness whenever we perform well these ordinary affairs of our life the Church and State The best school where we can learn more about holiness according to our calling is the home. Our homes are the “temple” of true love; first among the family members and those who come into our families. Unfortunately, in our post modern situation, the unique and holy character of the family is at high risk. Its role is both despised and marginalized. None the less, humanity will always depend on a good family both for the good up bringing and for education, especially into holiness. It is important therefore, that families be saved and that the whole Christian family be a temple of true love, where we find such human values as sharing, unity among members, the joy of togetherness, mutual fidelity, and tolerance towards one another. As our daily experience shows; a family in which these values shine forth is an enviable family; and in such a family we all notice God’s presence. It is in such an environment that it becomes easier to answer the divine call to holiness. Ends