Be Perfect as God is Perfect

Can I Ever Be Perfect?

YES.

Jesus confirms that perfection is attainable by uttering the command. To believe otherwise, is to suggest that Jesus commands the impossible.

Perhaps it helps to look at ‘how’ Jesus defines perfection by looking at the context of today’s Gospel. Let’s summarize:

• You shall love your enemies.

• You shall pray for those who persecute you.

• This way you may be as children of your heavenly Father.

• God, who is perfect, makes the sun and rain affect equally the just and the unjust. (God agape loves all equally).

• If you love only those who love you, what recompense will you have since tax collectors and pagans do the same.

So, IF you love as Jesus commands, you will be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (cf. Mk 5:43-48).

Looking At It Closer

The passage does not suggest that grace is not required to accomplish this perfection, and even suggests that this perfection is achievable during our lifetime. We are told elsewhere that we will never be tempted beyond what we can bear, but God will always provide a way of escape. (1 Cor 10:13)

Jesus demonstrated His perfection, being like us in all way but sin, suffering unto death while forgiving those who persecuted and crucified Him. (cf Lk 23:34, Heb 5:8-9).

Those who can love their enemies and love those who persecute them, demonstrate a detached agape love, becoming the very Peacemakers Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount. The Son of God sets the example – Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. (Mt 5:9).

It All Fits – Even If I Am Not There Yet

I have to admit that acknowledging Jesus meant what He said, makes me a bit uncomfortable. My instincts are not to love those who hate me, nor those who actively seek my destruction.

I once commented to a friend, a former Methodist pastor: “I am worried that if I am ever exposed to having my life taken by a terrorist who demanded that I deny Christ, I might not have the courage to suffer martyrdom.”

My pastor friend brought me some consolation with his answer: “Trust me, Jerry, if God ever asks you to suffer martyrdom, He will give you the grace necessary to suffer it. Just look at Stephen, the first martyr – he was filled with grace and power before his martyrdom.” He then suggested that it is a good thing that I have doubts absent a grace-filled call. No sin of presumption or despair given a simple uncertainty. That helped.

I get it, grace is required. It needs to be sought and actively accepted.

Jesus was full of grace as was Stephen. (John 1:14, Acts 6:8.).

A Virtuous Goal

Finally, perfection, it seems to me, is not simply the acceptance of a final martyrdom, but the daily act of loving those who hate me, or those who seek my demise. If this be so, then my commitment to such a perfection of love must be made repeatedly, rather than a one-time event. A sustained commitment would eventually become a virtue.

Virtues as the habit of loving the just and the unjust, make perfection attainable after all — just as Jesus commanded.

[Readings: Dt 26:16-19; Mt 5:43-48]