"Beye merciful as God is merciful"
We have often heard the words, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" from today`s gospel reading. At first glance this appears to be a rather simple exhortation to follow. Yet each time we read it, it provokes us to seek the deeper meaning of these words. These words are filled with the wisdom and divine revelation, words that encourage the right type of relations and behavior between human beings. They exhort man to be Christ-like and to come close to God as possible in their virtues. Not to reach God in his power and wisdom, for this beyond human ability. Look at Adam and Eve, they sought to learn as much as God, when they tried to become like God, when they listened to the devil, what was it that the devil told them?"do you want to become like God? It is simple and easy. Do not listen to God. Revolt against Him and His will." We know very well the cause of the fall of man, it was from that time a great chasm opened and separated man from God his creator.

Nowhere in Scripture will we find one verse that exhorts us to become as equals to God in His knowledge, Power, or Wisdom and the rest of his divine attributes. In fact when man takes the initiative in this act, he finds instant destruction.

In the Old Testament we read about man`s initiative to reach God, by building a great tower in Babel. They, man, thought by building this tower they could reach God and having reached Him they would "dethrone" Him. From scripture we know that, as they began building this tower, there suddenly arose among the builder great confusions as they no longer spoke a common language. This inability to communicate with each other eventually led to the collapse of the tower and the men were scattered all over the earth. (Genesis 11:4-9)

The great German philosopher Kant, in his moral proof of the existence of God, moves from the moral law which exists within us. . ."there exist an absolute moral law, catholic previous and supreme, every human law which expressed in positive command, do not do evil, do good. Consequently there exists a Supreme Law-Maker, who is the absolute Mind, All-Mighty, and Absolute, and Absolute Holy Being. This moral law is absolute and universal. The conscience even in a more deviant condition is in position to make the distinction between good and evil."

Although we find no verses in Holy Scripture that exhort to become like God in his wisdom and power, we do find many verses that tell us to become like God in His virtues. One such verse is the one in today`s Gospel reading: "be ye therefore merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful"(Luke 6: 31-36). The Gospel tells us to love our fellow man in the same way God loves us all. It is only as man feels this love towards his fellow man that he remains in God. and God in him. . . "God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him."

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. He that has no love can never know God, for God is love. God`s love for us is so perfectly manifested for us because God sent His Only begotten Son into the world that we might live in Him." I recommend that everyone read the Catholic Epistle of John.