Here are some of the themes that surface in the readings for the 7th Sunday of the Year.
1st Reading – Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18
- The Lord commands Moses to tell the people, “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.”
- The Lord continues, saying not to bear hatred for a brother or sister, a fellow citizen or any of one’s own people; rather, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Psalm – 103: 1-4,8,10,12-13
- “The Lord is kind and merciful.”
- The Lord pardons all our iniquities and heals our ills.
2nd Reading – 1st Corinthians 3:16-23
- Each of us is a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us.
- We do not boast in human beings; instead, our focus is on Christ.
Gospel – Matthew 5:38-48
- Jesus continues to speak forcefully about exceeding the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
- The Lord speaks about violence and hating one’s enemies, but then he takes the command to “love your neighbor” and extends it to love of one’s enemies.
Mass Readings – 7th Sunday of the Year
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Three Great Things 