Does St. Paul ask the impossible when he instructs us: “Be imitators of God?” How can the likes of me be an imitator of God! I am acutely aware of my limitations. Happily the Apostle gives us three concrete actions to take in order to imitate God: “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” Be kind. Treat others with dignity and respect. Be compassionate. Put yourself in the shoes of another and see things from their perspective. Be forgiving. Since we have been forgiven we must be willing to share that forgiveness with others. St. Paul sums up this instruction by saying “live in love, as Christ loved us.” Since we are loved, we return love.
