“I will sing to you, O Lord, I will learn from you the way of perfection.” 

Jesus tells us to “…be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Being perfect is hard work, very hard work!  A famous concert pianist answered questions from his audience after one of his concerts.  One person said, “I would give anything to play like you!”  The pianist surprised his audience and said, “No you wouldn’t!  I practiced eight hours a day for 25 years, and I practice eight hours every day now!”

Being great is hard work, very hard work.  Make no mistake you need talent, but talent alone won’t get the job done.  Talent, self-discipline and hard work equal success.

As disciples, followers of Jesus Christ we are called to use our God given talent, self-discipline and hard work to allow God to form our hearts, wills and minds for HIS KINGDOM.

The Lord said to Moses and to us, “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God,  

am holy.’  St. Paul tells us “…the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.’

In the Sermon on the Mount, which is our how to live book, we are asked to:

1.   Turn the other cheek,

2.   Give your cloak as well,

3.   Go two miles,

4.   Love your enemies,

5.   Be perfect.

That way of life is foolishness in our world, and it was in Jesus’ time.  Nonetheless we are called to live that way.  Thomas Merton offers us an important distinction between liking/loving that can help us live as fools for THE KINGDOM.

Liking is an emotional thing.  Loving is an act of the will.  He said Jesus doesn’t ask the impossible we are not called to like everybody, but to love everybody.  Reconciliation AND forgiveness are the heart of the Gospel.  Mark Twain said, “I have no problems with the parts of the Bible I don’t understand.  It’s the parts of the Bible I do understand that gives me fits.”

There is a lot of truth in Mark Twain’s observation.  Make no mistake about it we are called to: Be Holy and Be Perfect.  But it is important to note that, Perfection and holiness are not rooted in themselves or in our deeds, but in God!

In 2000 “Five for Fighting” made this song, Superman (It ain’t easy being me) “I’m just out to find The better part of me.”

The Sermon on the Mount as our how to live book, it will enable us to find our better part; it will show us the way to be holy and perfect.                 

May God Be Praised!