Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A (2026)
Sunday, February 8, 2026
David Foster Wallace was an American novelist and professor who, in 2005, gave a now-famous and often-quoted commencement speech to the graduating class at Kenyon College. The speech opens: “Two young fish are swimming along when they pass an older fish. The older fish nods and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” The two young fish swim on for a bit, and then one looks at the other and says, “What is water?” Oftentimes, the things that are so familiar to us become invisible, losing their significance in the rhythm of our daily living. We pass by places, people, or practices we’ve engaged with countless times and, in doing so, we often overlook their true essence. Water is so common and familiar that it becomes invisible to the young fish, even though their lives depend on it. Familiarity can lead to complacency, blinding us to the reality, beauty, and depth that once captured our attention. Consider the Lord’s Prayer that we recite, perhaps multiple times daily. So familiar yet how often do we truly contemplate its words, allowing them to shape our lives? Or, take attending Mass each week: have rituals, responses, and prayers become routine that their transformative power, proclaiming Christ’s Paschal Mystery, fades into the background? We risk reciting without engaging, missing deeper communion with God and our community. Recognizing this phenomenon invites pause: How can we reignite our awareness of the familiar? Perhaps being intentional in prayer and worship, carving out moments to reflect on what we believe and our response to God’s call.
Today’s Gospel reading, taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, exemplifies this: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” — Matthew 5:13,14. Do these words summon you to preserve truth and dispel darkness, or, grown too familiar, do they no longer stir action, like salt that has grown tasteless? They are Jesus’ direct mandate! The people listening to Jesus knew what he meant. Salt preserved fish in Galilee’s heat, flavored meager meals, and healed wounds. Light pierced the night in humble homes, guiding families. Many heeded the mandate. In 17th-century France, amid royal excess, Saint Vincent de Paul scoured streets for abandoned orphans, founded hospitals, and rallied nobles to fund relief for the poor. “Go to the poor, you will find God,” he urged. His humble service made him salt preserving dignity, and light exposing neglect. Today, faithful volunteers mirror this by stocking food pantries, welcoming migrants, aiding the persecuted, often from their own comfort.
Last week’s reading of the Beatitudes sketched Christ’s character, challenging us to embody it. This week’s readings transition to reveal our mission: Be salt, adding divine flavor to workplaces, communities, and families, and shine Christ’s light to dispel sorrow and spread hope. As the Catechism teaches, the Beatitudes “shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; …they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured” — Catechism §1717. How will you preserve and add flavor to the lives of others this week, and will your light be visible?
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.