ORDINARY TIME WEEK 6 [year A] (Feb , 2026): Sir. 15:15-20, I Cor. 2:6-10, Matt. 5:17-37. BY REV FR CLIFFORD ATTA ANIM.

Called to Choose Life and Faithful Obedience

Today’s readings confront us with a serious and hopeful truth: God respects our freedom. He does not force obedience. Instead, He invites us to choose wisely, to embrace the laws given by a loving Father who desires our holiness and happiness.

In the Old Testament, God revealed His will through Moses and the prophets. For Israel, the Torah was not merely a legal code. It was instruction, a path toward holiness and fullness of life within the covenant God had established with His people. The Law expressed the heart of a God who cares deeply for His children. In the fullness of time, God spoke definitively through His Son. In today’s Gospel, Jesus appears as the new Lawgiver, not abolishing the Law but bringing it to completion and revealing its deepest meaning.

An old rabbinic story tells of a student who memorized every rule but had a cold heart. His teacher told him, “The Law was not given to fill your head, but to shape your heart.” That is precisely what Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount.

Scripture Lessons

In the first reading from Sirach, we find one of the clearest affirmations of human freedom in the Old Testament. The sacred author makes it plain that God is not the author of evil. “Before you are life and death, whichever you choose shall be given you.” God sets the path before us, but the decision is ours. This teaching safeguards both divine goodness and human responsibility. The freedom to choose is a gift, but it carries consequences.

In the second reading, Saint Paul reminds the Corinthians that God’s wisdom is far deeper than human wisdom. The plan of salvation, hidden for ages, has now been revealed through the Spirit. What seems foolish to the world is, in fact, divine wisdom. The Cross itself, which appears as defeat, becomes victory. To understand God’s Law rightly, we need not only intelligence but the illumination of the Spirit.

In the Gospel, taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges His disciples to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. He does not discard the Law of Moses. Instead, He penetrates to its interior meaning. He moves from external behavior to the disposition of the heart.

You have heard, “You shall not kill.” Jesus teaches that anger, hatred, and contempt already violate the spirit of the commandment. You have heard, “You shall not commit adultery.” Jesus reveals that lustful intention and impure looks wound the covenant of marriage in the heart before any outward act occurs. He speaks strongly against unlawful divorce, upholding the sacred covenant established by God. He also condemns false oaths, insisting that truthfulness must characterize the disciple’s speech. In every case, Jesus calls us from minimal compliance to interior conversion.

The Law is not merely about avoiding crimes. It is about forming hearts capable of love.

Life Messages

1) We need to obey God’s Law with understanding and love

God’s Law rests on two foundational principles: reverence and respect. The first commandments call us to reverence God, His holy Name, His Day, and the parents through whom He gave us life. The remaining commandments teach us to respect life, fidelity in marriage, property, reputation, and truth. These laws are not arbitrary restrictions. They protect relationships, preserve dignity, and foster community. Our obedience must flow from gratitude and love, not fear alone. When Jesus deepens the commandments, He calls us to interior purity, self-control, and integrity.

2) We need to forgive quickly and seek reconciliation

Saint Paul advises, “Be angry but do not sin.” Righteous anger against injustice can be legitimate, but lingering resentment poisons the soul. When anger is stored in the heart, it harms both body and spirit. The Gospel urges us to reconcile with our brother or sister before approaching the altar. Silence, prayer, patience, and honest dialogue are powerful tools for healing. When we ask the Holy Spirit to help us see situations through Christ’s eyes rather than through wounded pride, reconciliation becomes possible.

3) We need to be people of integrity

Jesus tells us that our “Yes” should mean yes and our “No” should mean no. Truthfulness is not optional for the Christian. Integrity means unity between what we believe, what we say, and what we do. When God’s Word shapes our conscience, we become trustworthy, faithful, and authentic. In a world often marked by confusion and compromise, such integrity becomes a powerful witness.

Today the Lord sets before us life and death, blessing and curse. The invitation is clear. Choose life. Choose fidelity. Choose the deeper righteousness that begins in the heart. When we freely choose God’s will, we discover that His Law is not a burden but a path to true freedom and lasting joy. God bless you.