martedì 26 giugno 2007

"Do not throw your pearls before swine"


ROME

Scripture: Matthew 7:6,12-14



Jesus' expression about "pearls before swine" is pretty similar. Jesus’ concern here is not with exclusivity, but with purity — the purity of the faith which has been entrusted to us by an all-loving and all-wise God. The early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist or the Lord’s Table. In the liturgy of the early church, a proclamation was given shortly before communion: Holy things to the holy.
The Lord also raised the standard of the law by showing us the perfection of love — seeking the good of others and giving them the best we can offer for their sake. It is not enough to simply avoid doing injury or harm. We must actually seek to do good to others for their sake.
Jesus concludes his discourse with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God and by others. We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely what God requires of us -- loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit is every ready to transform our lives in Jesus’ way of love

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