you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both
the wicked and the good; and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.
If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as
much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not
even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflect
Sometimes it feels as though God is absent. How else can we explain the evil that we see
each day. The poor struggle to meet the basic needs of life and are devastated by the effects
of climate change while the wealthy buy yet another home or yacht. Sick and elderly people
suffer from loneliness because they are no longer considered “useful” while others attract fame
for the flimsiest of reasons. Those who seem to be the least just and caring seem to have the
greatest success,
But God is not absent. He reaches out in love and mercy to call his children, rich and poor,
famous and ignored. He offers each of us the same call: to love wholeheartedly, without
prejudice or partiality. He asks us to love as he loves, imitating his perfect, self-giving love. He
is always present to offer us the grace and strength we need to love others as he has loved us.
In so doing, we make God present and transform the world.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023