Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

 

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Responder: Pat

Presider: Penny

Zoom link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87935930592?pwd=qZlKA506MIS9okXQQxBkaKsyhsZJDV.1

Introduction

MaDonna: Today’s liturgy is a perfect prelude to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. In times past this was a season of fasting, atonement, penance – a time basically devoted to sinfulness.

But we know Jesus was about so much more than that. He was here to teach us how to live with grateful hearts for God’s overwhelming love for us. We’ve already been forgiven – Jesus brings us healing and hope. On this feast of St. Valentine, let us remember that we have a place of honor in the very heart of the Divine, where we are forever loved and cherished.

 

Opening Song: Behold the Kindom

https://youtu.be/TWd0OE5jaoA 

 

Gratitude

Linda: For reminders that we are to render our hearts, not our garments, R] we thank you Brother Jesus.

Linda: For teaching us to look beyond the letter of the law, to its spirt, R] we thank you brother Jesus.

Linda: For enlightening us about what laws should be broken and changed because they are not in line with your Good News, R] we thank you brother Jesus.

 

 

Opening Prayer

Juanita: Holy One, inspire us with the fire of your love that we may, in turn, pass on that fire to others. Bless our efforts to reflect the light and warmth of that fire in our homes, neighborhoods and larger communities. Open our hearts and consciences to behold your Spirit of justice and compassion written into every just law, and the courage to disobey those laws that are wrong.  R] Amen

 

 

First reading

 

A reading from the book of Sirach 

 God alone created us at the beginning and abandoned us to our free will. You are free to keep the commandments; it is in your power to be faithful. YHWH has placed fire and water before us all; each must choose one. We have before us life and death; we are to choose which we prefer. For God’s wisdom is immense; it is all-powerful, all-seeing; God sees everything in all creation; nothing escapes God’s eyes. No one has God’s permission to sin; none is given the strength to tell lies.

The words of Hebrew scripture. R] Thanks be to God

 

Responsorial psalm 119  (vs. John)

R] Happiness comes to those whose way is blameless.

1.Happiness comes to those whose way is blameless, who walk in your Law, YHWH.  Happiness comes to those who keep your decrees and seek you with all their heart.

2. You have commanded that your precepts

 be kept diligently- if only I were more faithful

 in keeping your statutes!

3. Be good to your faithful one, that I may live and keep your words. Open my eyes and let me ponder the wonders of your Law.

4. Educate me, YHWH, in the way of your statutes, and I’ll keep them to the end. 34 Give me discernment, that I may observe your Law and obey it with all my heart

 

Second Reading:  Lucia

A reading from the first letter to the Corinthians.

There is a certain wisdom which we express among the Spiritually mature. It is not a wisdom of this age, however, nor of the rulers of this age, who are headed for destruction.  No, what we utter is God’s wisdom: a mysterious, hidden wisdom. God planned it before all ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew the mystery; if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Sovereign of Glory. Of this wisdom it is written, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on anyone what God has prepared for those who love God.”  Yet God has revealed this wisdom to us through the Holy Spirit. She searches out all things, even the deep things of God.

The Word of God. R] Thanks be to God

 

 ALLELUIA  Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker – MT Video

https://youtu.be/4cs8NDVM3Vk

 

Penny: A reading from the holy gospel attributed to Matthew.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Don’t think I’ve come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. I have come not to abolish them, but to fulfill them.  The truth is, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the Law, not even the smallest part of a letter, will be done away with until it is all fulfilled. That’s why whoever breaks the least significant of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kindom of heaven. whoever fulfills and teaches these commands will be called great in the kindom of heaven. “I tell you, unless your sense of justice surpasses that of the religious scholars and the Pharisees, you will not enter the kindom of heaven. “You’ve heard that our ancestors were told, ‘no killing’ and, ‘every murderer will be subject to judgment,’ but I tell you that everyone who is angry with sister or brother is subject to judgment; anyone who says to sister or brother, ‘i spit in your face!’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin; and anyone who vilifies them with name-calling will be subject to the fires of Gehenna. “If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your sister or brother has a grudge against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go to be reconciled to them and then come and offer your gift. “Lose no time in settling with your opponents—do so while still on the way to the courthouse with them. otherwise, your opponents may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff, who will throw you into prison. I warn you, you won’t get out until you have paid the last penny.

It was also said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Most High all that you vow. I tell you not to swear oaths at all. Say ‘Yes’ when you mean ‘Yes’ and ‘no’ when you mean ‘no.’ 

The Gospel of Jesus, the Christ.

 

 

 

Homily

In today's Gospel, Jesus says something that may surprise us: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets." In other words, Jesus is not lowering the bar. If anything, He is raising it-but not to burden us. He raises it to heal us.

The law of Moses focused on outward actions: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not swear falsely. These laws mattered-and they still matter. But Jesus knows something about us. He knows that sin rarely begins with an action. It begins in the heart. Anger comes before violence. Lust comes before betrayal. Deception comes before broken trust. So Jesus goes straight to the source.

"You have heard it said... but I say to you."

Again and again, Jesus invites us deeper. It's not enough, He says, to avoid murder if our hearts are filled with rage.

It's not enough to avoid adultery if we objectify others in our minds. It's not enough to speak truth only when we swear an oath-our everyday words should already be trustworthy.

This can feel overwhelming. We may hear this Gospel and think, who can live like this? And that question is actually the beginning of faith. Because Jesus is not asking for perfection through sheer willpower. He is inviting conversion-real change, from the inside out.

Take anger, for example. Jesus doesn't say anger doesn't matter; He says it matters deeply. And then He does something striking: He links reconciliation with worship.

"Go first and be reconciled to sister or brother. In other words, our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationships with one another. God is not impressed by beautiful prayers if our hearts remain hardened toward others.

Or consider truthfulness. Jesus says, "Let your 'Yes' mean yes, and your 'No' mean no." This is not about legal language or technical honesty. It's about integrity. It's about becoming the kind of person whose word can be trusted-because our lives are rooted in God, who is Truth.

What Jesus is offering us today is not a checklist, but a vision of freedom. A heart freed from resentment. Eyes that see others not as objects, but as persons. Words that build trust rather than confusion. This is the righteousness that "surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees" -not showy, not performative, but sincere and transformed.

And here is the good news: Jesus never asks us to do this alone. The same Teacher who names the depth of the law also gives us grace, mercy, and the Holy Spirit to reshape our hearts. Each time we fail-and we will fail—we are invited back, not condemned.

As we continue this Lenten journey-or this ordinary journey of discipleship-let us ask God for one simple grace: not just to follow the law, but to let God change our hearts.

 

Statement of Faith  Janet and Galen

J. We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery
beyond all definition and rational understanding,
the heart of all that has ever existed,
that exists now, or that ever will exist.

G. We believe in Jesus, messenger of the Divine Word,
bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion,
bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's
prophets, mystics, and saints.

J. We believe that We are called to follow Jesus
as a vehicle of divine love,
a source of wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of peace in the world.

G. We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One,
the life that is our innermost life,
the breath moving in our being,
the depth living in each of us.

J. We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now,
stretched out all around us for those
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it,
and hands to make it happen. Amen

 

Exchange peace

Juanita: Jesus the Christ, you said to your disciples, “My peace I leave you. My peace I give you.” We ask you to look on the faith of those gathered here. Give us your peace, and spread your peace throughout the world, always and forever. 

     May the peace of Christ be always with you. R] And also with you. 

Prayers of the Community: Pat

As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns. Please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”

 

We pray for these and all the unspoken concerns held in the silence of our hearts. AMEN

 

Offering of Gifts

MaDonna: Blessed are you, God of all creation! Through your goodness we have this bread to offer. Fruit of the Earth, work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.

     R] Blessed be God forever

 

Gina: Blessed are you, God of all creation! Through your goodness we have this wine to offer. Fruit of the vine, work of human hands, it will become for us the cup of life.

     R] Blessed be God forever

 

Juanita: Pray sisters and brothers that our gifts please our loving God.

      R] May God accept this offering from our hands for the praise and glory of God’s name, for our Good and the good of all God’s holy people.

Preface

Pat: O Holy One, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted us with life and cherished us in love. Your Spirit dwells in the heart of our being, a Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth. 

In the power of that same Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing the ancient hymn of praise: 

Holy, Holy, Holy:  Here In This Place by Christopher Grundy, video by MT Streck

https://youtu.be/uXyu57tR2gk

 

Eucharistic prayer

Lucia: Holy One, we see around us the work of your hands, the fruit of your wisdom and love. The unfolding story of creation witnesses unceasingly to your creative power.  We, your creatures, often deviate from that wisdom, thus hindering your creative presence in our midst. 
 
Dave: Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of Your Spirit, your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life. 
 

(Extend hands in blessing.)  

 
Juanita: We invoke Your Spirit upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, that they may become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world. 

 

John: On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly within them, he bent down and washed their feet.

(Lift the bread)

Penny: When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:

All:Take and eat, this is the gift of myself

(Lift the cup)

Penny: He then raised high the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying: 

All: Take and drink. Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.

 

Janet: What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives, as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.

In faith and hope we are sustained; in grace and dignity reclaimed. In praise, we thank you. 
 
Please receive communion with the words: There is enough.

 

Communion song   My soul in stillness waits

https://youtu.be/R2z-yMn6AYI?si=Wq-N9gTRkn7SIfYQ

 

 

Prayer After Communion 

Galen: Loving God, may this Eucharist, in which we share Christ’s healing love, deepen our oneness with you and with one another. May wonder and thanksgiving fill us with knowledge, understanding, and experience of your love and compassion for us, your sacred people. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ.

 

Dave: Let us pray as Jesus taught us: 

Holy One, you are within, around and among us.  
We celebrate your many names. 
Your wisdom come; your will be done, 
unfolding from the depths within us. 
Each day you give us all that we need. 
You remind us of our limits and we let go. 
You support us in our power, and we act with courage. 
For you are the dwelling place within us, 
the empowerment around us, 
and the celebration among us,  
now and forever, Amen. 

 

Blessing 

Penny: Please raise your hands as we bless each other: Like St. Brigid, whose feast opened the month of February, may we keep peace firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world. May we be inspired to act justly and with reverence to all the Holy One has made. All] May it be so!

Dismissal  Juanita

Closing Song: Canticle of the Turning by Rory Cooney Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner

https://youtu.be/b-QR_OZB5ik