10 March/Monday/ First Week of Lent
Lev 19,1-2.11-18/Psa 19,8.9.10.15/Matt 25,31-46 Reflection
In the First Reading, the Lord God commands Moses to speak to the people of Israel and
tell them to be holy. The reason for the call to holiness is to be found in the very nature of
God himself. This is formulated in the form of a thesis, namely “Be holy, for I, the Lord
your God, am holy”. Holiness is presented here as a characteristic quality of God. He is
the only one who is intrinsically holy. His holiness means that he is exalted, glorious and
pure in character. His holiness radiates wherever he is that is why all who belong to him
are called to be holy. It is impossible to be in communion with God and not be holy.
The human person learns to be holy by gradually maturing in it. It is the result of constant
and persistent effort that reaches its climax when the person is face to face with God. It
is for this reason that the human person must follow certain rules and regulation in life.
The Book of Leviticus presents a number of laws which go beyond the reading today. This is affirmed in the Responsorial Psalm when we repeat the antiphon that the words
of the Lord are spirit, and they are life.
The section read today is a cluster of laws pertaining to respect in interpersonal
relationships and the practice of justice in business and at court. At the end of the reading,
we find the great command of love of neighbour. The love of neighbour is very central to
the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. James will also question us in his letter about the
sense of saying that we love God whom we do not see when we fail to love our neighbour
whom we see. The love of God should be demonstrated in the love of neighbour.
The Gospel Reading teaches us that at the end time God will judge us on our love of
neighbour. Those in the Gospel Reading who are rewarded by God because of their good
deeds were surprised that there were times in their lives when they gave the Lord food to
eat, water to drink, cloth to wear or visited him when he was sick or in prison. It is only at
the end that they realise that their acts of charity toward their neighbour were actually
charity toward Christ.
This Lenten Season is another opportunity for us to practice charity. Let us
wholeheartedly turn our eyes of mercy toward those in need in our society and share with
them what we have. This is a recommended way to show that we love our neighbour.
The Lord who sees all our actions will reward us abundantly.
