Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

February 15, 2026

Matthew 5:17-37

I wonder what was in the minds of Jesus’ listeners in today’s gospel passage? Jesus is asking them to be better than the religious professionals of his day. He is asking them to go beyond the letter of the Law. He is asking them to be radical in their approach to living life. They must have been amazed. The unsettling thing is that that is exactly what Jesus is asking us today also. 

I wonder what examples Jesus would use with us today? He told his original hearers that not to kill was not enough; from this point on, he tells them, “whoever is angry with [brother or sister] will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother ‘raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin.” Jesus calls for reconciliation before a person goes to offer a gift at the altar. 

I think today the Lord would hope that we would catch ourselves before reconciliation is necessary; after all, many centuries have passed since he gave us the word of life. So now, reconciliation alone is not enough. We are called to catch ourselves when the first thought of being hurtful to another is recognized and rejected as a possibility. Like we noted last Sunday the thought of making little of another human being, the idea that we could discredit or make fun of another is caught right away. Instead, our view is not inward toward what is good for ourselves, but always looking out to what is needed or good for someone else.

Sirach reminds us that “[if] we keep the commandments, they will save you.” St. Paul says that we are governed now, not by the Law, but by the freedom of God’s love. This love allows us to go beyond keeping minute precepts about small things to concentrate on looking out for the other, rather than looking inward to only our needs. If good deeds are to be done, they are to feed the hungry and visit the sick; and not carefully watching what kind of food we eat or if we do the ritual washings. So, if we keep the commandments, in the sense of the new commandment Jesus gave us, ear has not heard nor eye seen the what God has prepared for those who love him. 

That new commandment is simple, yet also carries elements of the cross: Love one another as I have loved you. That is the realization that the first hearers of Jesus’ words had to wrap their minds and hearts around. We still must do this today. Yes, it can give us pause and boggle our minds too. Our choice is to live and love beyond the bare expectations of the Law. Live beyond ourselves and for others.

Fr. John Tran