Be perfect as your Father is perfect

MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban

The Infant Jesus Distributing Bread to Pilgrims

1678

To direct someone to do a task that will not be possible for them to do will likely create in that person some sense of frustration and perhaps resentment. If it is truly something beyond that person's capabilities he will either recognize that immediately and not make the attempt at all or will come to that conclusion in due time and yield to defeat having learned something about himself. So what are we to make of our Lord's insistence that we, his disciples, be perfect as our Father is perfect? I will join you in any cause of concern that you may have about this exhortation because I am not perfect at this time or place and I know I will never be perfect so long as I am on this pilgrimage.

I use the term "exhortation" because I believe that is what Jesus is communicating. He is urging us on to the divine life; to claim our share of His divinity that is our inheritance as disciples of Christ. Look at the behavior and attitude he is asking us to exhibit and take. To show love and truly love our enemies; that is, those who would harm us. To resist the temptation to have our revenge on those who would harm us. To give when it is asked of us without seeking the motivation of the one who is asking. These are certainly behaviors that would seem to be against our self interests and possibly harmful to not only ourselves and our loved ones, but also to the one who may only be thinking of his or her own self interest. That being said, we must acknowledge that these behaviors and attitudes may be difficult to adopt, but they are certainly not impossible. And, what is perhaps more important, they open up the window to the Divine attitude. This, I believe, is what our Lord seeks to have us experience.

If I was to seek to further my conversion to Christ by adopting, as best I could, these behaviors and attitudes, what could I expect? Some disappointment and harm [perceived and real] perhaps. But could I expect to be surprised from time to time at how the world reacts to my behavior and attitude? I think perhaps cycles of distrust and cynicism just might be broken and healing could occur. Others may choose, little by little, to adopt the behavior and attitude they are witnessing in me because of their attraction to it, perhaps not even realizing that it is the Divine attitude to which they are attracted. Perhaps, just perhaps, my trust in my Lord will grow and develop, just as my share in his divinity will grow. Because even though I may sometimes suffer rebuff and insult by adopting this attitude, God will not hide his love from me and I will witness it in the world around me . . . even in this imperfect skin in which I walk.