Gospel: February 28, 2026
February 28, 2026 (Saturday)
1st Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 1 (Violet)
Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
1st Reading: Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard, that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute 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.
Reflection:
For only God is perfect.
The last verse of today’s Gospel of Matthew tells us to be perfect. This seems impossible, for only God is perfect. But Jesus offers us a way to achieve perfection today by loving our enemies and praying for our persecutors. Jesus is challenging us to embrace the radical call to love!
Paying more attention to Jesus’ challenge changes our perspective, making it feasible. Jesus’ instruction “pray for those who persecute you” provides a key to understanding His invitation. When we pray, God changes us from within, transforming our attitude toward our enemies. As we pray, we experience the transition from resentment to compassion, making forgiveness possible. This process requires humility to set aside our resentment and be reconciled with our enemies. This is what makes us true disciples of Jesus. We are called to deny ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom. Let us remember, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”
