Liturgy of the Sunday

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading

Sirach 15,15-20

If you choose, you will keep the commandments and so be faithful to his will. He has set fire and water before you; put out your hand to whichever you prefer. A human being has life and death before him; whichever he prefers will be given him. For vast is the wisdom of the Lord; he is almighty and all-seeing. His eyes are on those who fear him, he notes every human action. He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin.

Psalmody

Psalm 119

Antiphon

In my distress I cried to you O Lord.

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.

'O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.'

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?

The warrior's arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

[Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!]

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.

I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 2,6-10

But still, to those who have reached maturity, we do talk of a wisdom, not, it is true, a philosophy of this age or of the rulers of this age, who will not last long now. It is of the mysterious wisdom of God that we talk, the wisdom that was hidden, which God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. None of the rulers of the age recognised it; for if they had recognised it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him; to us, though, God has given revelation through the Spirit, for the Spirit explores the depths of everything, even the depths of God.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 5,17-37

'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved. Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven. 'For I tell you, if your uprightness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven. 'You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You shall not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. In truth I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny. 'You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body go to hell. 'It has also been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you, everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of an illicit marriage, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 'Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God's throne; or by earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

Jesus speaks of a different justice that binds directly to God's action, who is not a cold calculator that balances giving and having, faults and merits. God acts with a great and merciful heart, which goes beyond all limits, even that of the Law. The problem is not in the relationship between precept and observance, but between love and indifference, between passion and coldness. In fact, at stake is not the mere observance of the laws, which is of course necessary, but the building of a common life whose fundamental law is mutual love.
Hence the first antithesis: "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment." Relations between men and women are at stake. The bonds of love between us are so important that they determine the final destiny: mutual love is the fulfilment of the Law. We must move from negative precepts to the affirmation of the primacy of love. It is not a question of not doing evil, but rather of doing good. Love is the justice required from the disciples.
And it is not only a moral practice, it is the substance of life and also of worshipping God. So much so that Jesus comes to say, "So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift." "Mercy" is worth more than "sacrifice." Worship, understood as a relationship with God, cannot ignore a humanly serious and friendly relationship between people. It is in this context that the following statement should also be understood: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Then comes the question oaths: "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely ... But I say to you, do not swear at all." The evangelical proposal excludes any form of oath in its double sense, both religious and social. The oath is seen as an abuse of God's authority, called to cover up human words' and commitments' deficiencies in truth. Jesus says: "Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one." Jesus truly believes in the word of men and women. And he entrusts everyone with the word of the Gospel with its novelty and strength. Who has ever dared to utter words like these? The Apostle Paul states that it is a "wisdom that is not of this world" and adds: "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him,' these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit" (1Cor 2:9-10). It is the delivery to believers of a new "law", not made up of rules or legal provisions, but of a new heart, of a new spirit.