The Gospel for July 4

In The Book of Common Prayer this text is the Gospel for the day. Matthew 5:43-48, from The Second Testament

You have heard that it was said, You will love your neighbor and you will hate your enemy.

But I say this to you: Love your enemies and pray for the ones chasing you, so that you become children of your Father in the heavens, because his sun rises on evil persons and the good persons, and it rains on the right ones and the wrongdoers.

For if you love the ones loving you, what wage do you have?
Don’t even tax agents do the same?

If you greet only your siblings, what have you done that abounds?
Don’t even the ethnic groups do the same?

Therefore, you will be complete as your Father, the Heavenly One, is complete.