February 15, 2026 - Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 5:17–37) places us firmly within the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus challenges his listeners—and us—to move beyond a minimal understanding of faith. “I have come not to abolish but to fulfill,” he says, and then he proceeds to raise the bar. It is no longer enough simply to avoid murder; we must confront anger and resentment. It is no longer enough to avoid adultery; we must examine our desires, our intentions, and the fidelity of our hearts. At first glance, these words may feel heavy or even discouraging. Jesus’ teaching seems demanding, uncompromising, and difficult to live. Yet when we listen carefully, we hear not a message of condemnation but a call to deeper love - love that is honest, faithful, and rooted in the heart.
That message resonates especially this weekend as we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Our culture often associates love with romance, sentiment, or fleeting emotion. While those elements can be beautiful, Jesus invites us to something far more substantial. He speaks of a love that is faithful in action, respectful in thought, and sincere in intention. It is a love that does not settle for appearances but seeks integrity—where what we profess with our lips is reflected in how we live, speak, and treat one another. True love, as Jesus presents it, is demanding because it is transformative. It requires self-examination and conversion. It asks us to look honestly at our relationships: How do we speak to those closest to us? Do we harbor grudges, nurture bitterness, or dismiss others with careless words? Are we faithful—not only in marriage, but in friendship, family life, and community? On this Valentine’s weekend, the Gospel reminds us that love is not just something we feel; it is something we choose and live out each day.
The first reading echoes this challenge. The Book of Sirach tells us that God sets before us fire and water, life and death, good and evil—and invites us to choose. Love, in the biblical sense, is always a choice. God respects our freedom, but also shows us the path that leads to life. Jesus does the same in the Gospel: he does not lower the standard, but he walks with us as we strive to live it.
This Sunday also serves as a quiet threshold. Ash Wednesday is just around the corner, marking the beginning of Lent. The timing is providential. Before we receive ashes and hear the call to repentance, Jesus asks us to look inward. Lent is not primarily about giving things up; it is about allowing God to reshape our hearts. The Gospel today names precisely the areas where that reshaping often needs to happen—our thoughts, our words, our relationships, and our integrity. As we prepare for Lent, this Sunday’s readings invite us to consider what kind of conversion God may be asking of us this year. Is there a relationship in need of healing? An old resentment that needs to be surrendered? A habit of speech that wounds rather than builds up? Ash Wednesday will remind us of our mortality, but it also reminds us that change is possible, that grace is real, and that God’s mercy is always within reach.
Valentine’s Day, then, is not a distraction from the Gospel—it is a fitting lens through which to hear it. The love we celebrate, whether romantic, familial, or communal, finds its deepest meaning when rooted in Christ. His love goes beyond sentiment; it embraces sacrifice, forgiveness, and fidelity. It is a love that fulfills the law because it fulfills the human heart. May this week be a time to choose love more intentionally, to prepare our hearts for repentance, and to step into the season ahead with honesty, hope, and faith.
God bless everyone always!!!
Fr. Stan
