Hearing The Word

A weekly newsletter delivering context and insight into the Sunday Gospels.

Febuary 15, 2026

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 5:17-37

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,

not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter

will pass from the law,

until all things have taken place.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do so

will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments

will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses

that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.

But I say to you,

whoever is angry with his brother

will be liable to judgment;

and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,'

will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;

and whoever says, 'You fool,'

will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,

and there recall that your brother

has anything against you,

leave your gift there at the altar,

go first and be reconciled with your brother,

and then come and offer your gift.

Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.

Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,

and the judge will hand you over to the guard,

and you will be thrown into prison.

Amen, I say to you,

you will not be released until you have paid the last penny

(Continue reading...)

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But I Say to You

~Deacon Ernie Angiolillo

Saint Matthias Parish + Bala-Cynwyd, Pa.

Today’s Gospel is the next step in showing Jesus’ mission to change the moral life of the world and break it free from the grip of sin. Here, Jesus takes the Law from “You have heard” to “But I say to you,” authentic teaching from the lips and heart of God himself. We have come from the Commandments (Don’t kill!) to the Beatitudes (Be a peaceful person) to Jesus’ new interpretation of the Law (Do not let anger or name‑calling lead to harming others).

Jesus’ message is to change moral behavior from the interior—from a conversion of heart and mind—not just from a written command. And it should be noted that, beginning at the Sermon on the Mount and again here before great crowds from all places (“from all Syria… beyond the Jordan”), Jesus intends to convert the entire world.

Jesus teaches internal change so that one not only avoids sin, but also avoids the occasions of sin, the internal thoughts and attitudes (anger, lust, and fickleness) that lead to murder, infidelity, and the worship of false gods. The change of heart involved in conversion is an internal movement from merely avoiding sin to actively changing, loosening old attitudes and beliefs, and moving in directions not followed before.

He lays these teachings out in exquisite detail, answering questions before they are asked and dismissing any thought of “He must be talking about somebody else,” placing the onus right where it belongs. Don’t let anger flare or linger. Don’t let lust overtake your imagination. Don’t agree to obedience yet hold on to old ways.

Jesus’ message is meant now for all people, including and beyond the Chosen People. The mission is truly evangelizing—hearing the Good News right from its source.

The Law

~Conor Donnelly

Saint Maron Parish + Philadelphia, Pa.

Until a year ago, it would have been impossible to hear this Gospel proclaimed and let the usual stereotypes of the scribes and Pharisees come to mind, always out to trip up Jesus with arguments over the priorities or the precision of each of the 613 Mitzvot laws.

So, what changed last year? Villanova Law School created an opportunity for law majors and research theologians to study side by side under author and professor Chaim N. Saiman. We were immersed in the history of Jewish Law, Halakhah, the devout study of sacred scripture, legal arguments, examples and counterexamples, and a dialogue between leaders over the centuries. Words like Torah, Talmud, Mishneh, and Responsa all came alive. Even today, the annual cycle of reading a selected Torah text weekly forms an amazing part of devout Jewish culture.

That brings us back to today’s gospel. Let’s bring fresh ears to the words that Jesus spoke. Our world has become too convenient. We are tempted, we sin, we go to confession - and even then not as frequently as we should. Society, has given us permission to soften the basic ten laws because everybody else is doing it. But that is not what we heard Jesus say. In our lives as Catholics we are called to be scrupulous in our obedience to God’s law, and not only for ourselves but in the example we give to others. Jesus steps us through several challenges to our honesty, our anger, our fidelity to our marriage, and how we behave in our community to our neighbors. Let’s consider the example of Jewish tradition and renew our understanding and obedience to God’s Law, refreshed by the words of Jesus.