Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A (2026)
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Imagine that you are a bus driver on a frigid winter afternoon. A teenager steps on, shivering and fumbling for exact change. “Hey, I need to get home. I’m short—just ten cents,” he admits, looking embarrassed. The rule is clear: buses require only exact change. You, the driver, see that he’s cold, tired, and clearly not trying to cheat. Do you wave him on or ask him to step off? Most would let the teen on the bus because the rules and laws are there to prevent fare evasion, not to leave kids stranded. This tension mirrors today’s readings: God’s Law isn’t a cold barrier but an invitation to a fuller life. Jesus proclaims in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” — Matthew 5:17. Like a seed becoming a flower, what it was always meant to be, Jesus deepens the Law’s intent. The Pharisees and the crowd that gathered to listen to Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount knew the Law written on stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai, but Jesus, on this mount near the Sea of Galilee, would go on to demand righteousness and integrity exceeding theirs. Jesus deepens our understanding of God’s Law. The Law is not merely a set of rules but a blueprint for a loving and communal life. Jesus challenges us to look beyond mere compliance. For example, the commandment against killing extends to anger and contempt in our hearts. This teaching reveals that true righteousness encompasses our intentions and emotions, not just our actions. It forms a holistic understanding of the Law that penetrates deeply into our hearts.
Our readings today challenge that “minimum” mindset. They invite us to look past the surface of our actions and peer into the very disposition of our hearts. The Old Testament passage for today clarifies that our life is not dictated by fate or circumstance. “If you choose, you can keep the commandments; loyalty is doing the will of God. Set before you are fire and water; to whatever you choose, stretch out your hand.” — Sirach 15:15,16. We are not predestined. God gives us a choice and lets us choose how we daily orient our lives. The Church teaches, “The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to ‘the slavery of sin.’” — Catechism §1733.
St. Augustine captures the spirit of God’s Law, “Love God, and do what you will.” This isn’t a license to sin. Rather, it means that if our heart is truly aligned with the love of God, our “will” will naturally desire brotherly charity. God’s commandments are not burdensome rules that we must live by; they are paths to deeper communion with Him and the world. As Lent dawns this week, stretch toward “water”. Commit to a daily heart examen, finding anger, grudges, lusts, half-truths, and turn them to love, forgiveness, and works of mercy. In these forty days of prayer, fasting, and alms, let Christ’s Spirit fulfill the Law in you, choosing life anew.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.