Reading 1
Sir 15:15-20
If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin.
Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
Responsorial PsalmR. (1b)
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Reading 2
1 Cor 2:6-10
Brothers and sisters:
We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,
not a wisdom of this age,
nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
and which none of the rulers of this age knew;
for, if they had known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
Gospel
Mt 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 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 brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to 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.
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife -‑ unless the marriage is unlawful -‑
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
or
Jesus said to his disciples:
“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 brother
will be liable to judgment.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
Meditation: Matthew 5:17-37
“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
What a burden! Or at least that’s how Jesus’ words here sound at first. After all, we all know how rigorous the scribes and Pharisees were at keeping the Law of Moses. Do we have to do even better than them if we want to get into heaven?
Well, yes and no. On the one hand, Jesus does have high expectations for us. He does want us to be holy as he is holy. But on the other hand, he has made it possible for us to attain this very high calling— through his death and resurrection. He has given us his own body and blood in the Eucharist. He has given us the gift of reconciliation. And even more, he has given us his own Holy Spirit.
This is why the gospel is such good news. Yes, the standards are high, but so too is the grace. It really is possible to live a life of righteousness and love. It really is possible to be heroes and heroines of Christ in the world!
Don’t be afraid to embrace your calling. The world is waiting for the witness that only you can give. It’s waiting for people who are willing and able to rise above the temptations that beset all of us. It’s waiting for men and women who manifest the joy, the confidence, and the freedom of children of God. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to try your best to surrender to the Spirit. Jesus will take care of the rest.
Jesus is waiting, too. He is waiting to shower you with all the blessings and grace he has in store for you. He is eager to pour his Spirit into you and to watch the kind of effect you have on the world around you. You really can change the world!
“Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Come and fill me with your Spirit. Lord, transform my heart so that I can live out your high and noble calling.”
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Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119:1-2,4-5,17-18,33-34; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)
1. In the first reading, we hear these words: “The eyes of God are on those who fear him.” What do you believe it means to fear God? What role does godly fear play in how you live your life?
2. The first reading also speaks of the free will God has given men— to obey or disobey him, to trust him or reject him, to choose life or death, and to choose good or evil. Why do you think human free will is such an important part of God’s plan for us?
3. The responsorial psalm speaks of those who obey God’s commandments and seek the Lord with all their hearts. Why is seeking the Lord with all your heart so important in obeying God’s commandments? What steps can you take to seek the Lord more diligently and “with all your heart”?
4. The second reading reminds us that God has chosen to reveal his wisdom to us so we can speak it to others? Do you believe this? How well are you doing in speaking God’s wisdom to others? How can you do better?
5. In the Gospel, Jesus presents to his disciples (and to us) a set of commandments and standards that far exceed even the Ten Commandments. Do you believe that with God’s grace, the power of the Spirit, and the power of the cross and name of Jesus it is possible to live a life in accordance with these commandments and standards. Why or why not?
6. In the meditation, we hear these words: “Don’t be afraid to embrace your calling. The world is waiting for the witness that only you can give.” What is your reaction to these words from the meditation? In what ways is your life and words a witness for Jesus Christ? In what ways are you not a witness? What steps can you take to be a greater witness?
7. Take some time now to pray that you would be able to faithfully live out God’s call for your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point
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