Ordinary Time 2026

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Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we come to the sixth and the last Sunday before the beginning of the season of Lent this coming Wednesday, each and every one of us are reminded of the need for all of us as Christians, as the Lord’s faithful disciples and followers, all of us need to truly obey the Lord in the Law and the commandments that He has given to all of us, His beloved people, in the manner that we truly understand, appreciate and know the full meaning and purpose of all that He has laid before us. We must not be those who merely pay lip service of our faith and belief in the Lord, and at the same time we must also not be like those who obey the letter of the Law but fail to truly appreciate and understand its spirit.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the passage taken from the Book of the prophet Sirach, in which the prophet spoke of the matter of obedience to the Law and the commandments of God as I had just mentioned, and how God has given His people, the Israelites back then and now also all of us, all of us who have chosen Him as our Lord and Master, believing in His truth and teachings. We should always believe in Him wholeheartedly and with true understanding of His Law, His ways and all of His precepts. As prophet Sirach mentioned, God has given us all the freedom to choose our paths and choice of actions in life, but He has also made it clear that if we side with Him and follow Him, we will be blessed while those who choose to go against Him will face their just consequences in the end.

We are reminded that we should not be merely literally understanding the Law of God without truly appreciating and understanding what He has placed in our lives, the Law and the commandments by which He wanted to teach us all on how we can be His better disciples and followers with each and every moments we have. We should not blindly follow Him without truly understanding His intentions, how He wants each and every one of us to understand His most wonderful, genuine and pure love, so that we ourselves may love Him in the same way, in loving our fellow brothers and sisters around us as well, and especially in how we love those whom He has given us to love, those who are truly precious and beloved to us in our lives.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Corinth, the words of the Apostle to them all regarding the matter of the wisdom which God has given to all of us which far surpasses any kind of worldly wisdom, intellect and understanding. God did not give us all the spirit of confusion or ignorance, but rather the Spirit of Wisdom and clarity, in proclaiming His truth and love, His Good News and revelation to all of us without exception, as He has always revealed His love and gentle presence in our midst, calling on all of us to follow Him wholeheartedly and with great and true faith in Him.

Through what we have heard, we are reminded that we should not put our trust only in our worldly understanding and finite wisdom and knowledge of this world. It is not that the wisdom of the world has no merit or virtue, as they can indeed be good and wonderful sources of insight and knowledge, but we must always fall back upon the wisdom of God, the great and Divine Wisdom and truth which He has provided us, and which He has bestowed on us through His gift of the Holy Spirit and the revelation that He has passed onto us. All of these have made us all to be capable of understanding and appreciating His Divine design and will for us, and it is therefore important that we should all discern carefully our paths in life.

Finally, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples and followers, and all those who followed Him of the need for all of them to truly appreciate and understand the meaning, purpose and intention of the Law of God which they had been given and entrusted with by the Lord. He spoke about all these in the context of how the people of that time had not been practicing the Law in the manner that the Lord has intended them to, especially their leaders and those entrusted with the guardianship of the Law, like the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.

Instead of obeying the Law faithfully as they should havem they allowed themselves to be swayed by worldly concerns and matters, and focusing themselves so much more on the literal aspects and details of the Law, the customs, practices and the ways that were added over the many centuries since the Law was revealed and passed down to the people of Israel through Moses. They bothered themselves and focused so much on the minute details of the rituals and practices of the Law, and was so rigid and unbending on its implementations that they ended up forgetting about why those laws and rules were established and given by the Lord in the first place. Not only that, but they were also arbitrary in the manner how they exercised those laws and rules to suit their preferences.

That was why the Lord made it clear before all that they ought to truly understand what the Law of God had been meant for, to lead and guide all of the people of God towards Him and to teach them all to love Him and one another wholeheartedly. And it is meant to show how they should live their lives with virtue and righteousness, with sincerity of heart and mind, living worthily at all times and following the commandments with true understanding and appreciation, doing their best to walk in the path of God’s righteousness and grace. That is why the Lord was very critical of those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who often made use of the Law and the commandments to glorify themselves in the eyes of the people, and failing to apply them properly and worthily.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we conclude our reflection for this Sunday and prepare ourselves ever more wholeheartedly for a truly fruitful upcoming season of Lent, let us all therefore continue to strive to lead a truly holy and worthy life before the Lord. May the Lord continue to bless us in our lives and guide us all in our respective paths so that we may continue to walk ever more faithfully in His Presence, becoming good role models and inspirations for one another. Amen.

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Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 5 : 17-37

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples and to the people, “Do not think that I have come to annul the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to annul them but to fulfil them. I tell you this : as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in the Law will change until all is fulfilled.”

“So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them, and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the kingdom of heaven.”

“I tell you then, if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past : Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you : whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial.”

“Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council. Whoever calls a brother or a sister, ‘Fool!’ deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.”

“Do not forget this : be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.”

“You have heard that it was said : Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this : anyone who looks at a woman too lustfully has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.”

“It was also said : Anyone who divorces his wife, must give her a written notice of divorce. But what I tell you is this : if a man divorces his wife, except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

“You have also heard that people were told in the past : Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this : do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God’s throne, nor by the earth, because it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. Say yes when you mean yes, and say no when you mean no. Anything else you say comes from the devil.”

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Matthew 5 : 20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples and to the people, “I tell you then, if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past : Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you : whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial.”

“You have heard that it was said : Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this : anyone who looks at a woman too lustfully has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart. You have also heard that people were told in the past : Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this : do not take oaths. Say yes when you mean yes, and say no when you mean no. Anything else you say comes from the devil.”

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Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Corinthians 2 : 6-10

In fact, we do speak of wisdom to the mature in faith, although it is not a wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who are doomed to perish. We teach the mystery and secret plan of divine wisdom, which God destined from the beginning to bring us to Glory.

No ruler of this world ever knew this; otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But as Scripture says : Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it dawned on the mind what God has prepared for those who love Him. God has revealed it to us, through His Spirit, because the Spirit probes everything, even the depth of God.

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Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 118 : 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34

Blessed are they whose ways are upright, who follow the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who treasure His word and seek Him with all their heart.

You have laid down precepts to be obeyed. O, that my ways were steadfast in observing Your statutes!

Be kind to Your servant, that I may live to follow Your word. Open my eyes that I may see the marvellous truths in Your law.

Explain to me, o Lord, Your commandments, and I will be ever faithful to them. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law with all my heart.

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Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Sirach 15 : 16-21 (Greek Septuagint – Sirach 15 : 15-20)

If you wish, you can keep the commandments and it is in your power to remain faithful. He has set fire and water before you; you stretch out your hand to whichever you prefer.

Life and death are set before man : whichever a man prefers will be given him. How magnificent is the wisdom of the Lord! He is powerful and all-seeing. His eyes are on those who fear Him. He knows all the works of man.

He has commanded no one to be godless and has given no one permission to sin.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Offertory

Psalm 118 : 12-13

Benedictus es, Domine, doce me justificationes Tuas : in labiis meis pronuntiavi omnia judicia oris Tui.

English translation

Blessed are You, o Lord. Teach me Your justifications. With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of Your mouth.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Haec hostia, Domine, quaesumus, emundet nostra delicta : et, ad sacrificium celebrandum, subditorum Tibi corpora mentesque sanctificet. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

May this offering, we beseech You, o Lord, cleanse away our sins, sanctify us in soul and body, and fit us, Your servants, for the celebration of the sacrifice. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Communion

Psalm 77 : 29-30

Manducaverunt, et saturari sunt nimis, et desiderium eorum attulit eis Dominus : non sunt fraudati a desiderio suo.

English translation

They did eat, and were filled exceedingly, and the Lord gave them their desire. They were not defrauded of that which they craved.

Post-Communion Prayer

Quaesumus, omnipotens Deus : ut, qui caelestia alimenta percepimus, per haec contra omnia adversa muniamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

We beseech You, o Almighty God, that we who have partaken of heavenly nourishment, may be fortified by it against all adversities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Luke 18 : 31-43

In illo tempore : Assumpsit Jesus duodecim, et ait illis : Ecce, ascendimus Jerosolymam, et consummabuntur omnia, quae scripta sunt per Prophetas de Filio Hominis. Tradetur enim Gentibus, et illudetur, et flagellabitur, et conspuetur : et postquam flagellaverint, occident eum, et tertia die resurget.

Et ipsi nihil horum intellexerunt, et erat verbum istud absconditum ab eis, et non intellegebant quae dicebantur. Factum est autem, cum appropinquaret Jericho, caecus quidam sedebat secus viam, mendicans. Et cum audiret turbam praetereuntem, interrogabat, quid hoc esset. Dixerunt autem ei, quod Jesus Nazarenus transiret.

Et clamavit, dicens : Jesu, Fili David, miserere mei. Et qui praeibant, increpabant eum, ut taceret. Ipse vero multo magis clamabat : Fili David, miserere mei. Stans autem Jesus, jussit illum adduci ad se. Et cum appropinquasset, interrogavit illum, dicens : Quid tibi vis faciam?

At ille dixit : Domine, ut videam. Et Jesus dixit illi : Respice, fides tua te salvum fecit. Et confestim vidit, et sequebatur illum, magnificans Deum. Et omnis plebs ut vidit, dedit laudem Deo.

English translation

At that time, Jesus took unto Him the Twelve, and said to them, “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, scourged, and spat upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death, and on the third day He shall rise again.”

And they understood none of these things, and this word was hidden from them, and they did not understand the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And they who went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought to Him, and when he came near, He asked him saying, “What will you want that I do to you?”

But he said, “Lord, that I may see.” And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith had made you whole.” And immediately, he could see, and followed Him, glorifying God, and all the people when they saw it, gave praise to God.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Gradual and Tract

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Gradual

Psalm 76 : 15, 16

Tu es Deus qui facis mirabilia solus : notam fecisti in gentibus virtutem Tuam.

Response : Liberasti in bracchio Tuo populum Tuum, filios Israel et Joseph.

English translation

You are the God Who alone does wonders. You have made Your power known among the nations.

Response : With Your arm You have redeemed Your people, the children of Israel and of Joseph.

Tract

Psalm 99 : 1-2

Jubilate Deo, omnis terra : servite Domino in laetitia.

Response : Intrate in conspectu Ejus in exsultatione : scitote, quod Dominus ipse est Deus.

Response : Ipse fecit nos, et non ipsi nos : nos autem populus Ejus, et oves pascuae Ejus.

English translation

Sing joyfully to God all the earth. Serve all of you the Lord with gladness.

Response : Come in before His presence with exceeding great joy. Know all of you that the Lord, He is God.

Response : He made us, and not we ourselves, but we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 13 : 1-13

Fratres : Si linguis hominum loquar et Angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut aes sonans aut cymbalum tinniens. Et si habuero prophetiam, et noverim mysteria omnia et omnem scientiam : et si habuero omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil sum.

Et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum, ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest. Caritas patiens est, benigna est : caritas non aemulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur, non est ambitiosa, non quaerit quae sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum, non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati : omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.

Caritas numquam excidit : sive prophetiae evacuabuntur, sive linguae cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur. Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus. Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est. Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, sapiebam ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi quae erant parvuli.

Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate : tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte : tunc autem cognoscam, sicut et cognitus sum. Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria haec : major autem horum est caritas.

English translation

Brethren, if I speak with the tongues of men, and of Angels, and does not have charity, I become like a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and does not have charity, I am nothing.

And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burnt, and does not have charity, it does not profit me anything.

Charity is patient, is kind, charity does not envy, it does not deal perversely, it is not puffed up, it is not ambitious, it does not seek her own, it is not provoked to anger, it does not think any evil, it does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoiced in the truth, bears all things, believes in all things, hopes in all things, and endures all things.

Charity never falls away, whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.

We see now through a glass in a dark manner, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope and charity. These three, but the greatest of these is charity.

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(Usus Antiquior) Quinquagesima Sunday (II Classis) – Sunday, 15 February 2026 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Introit

Psalm 30 : 3-4 and 2

Esto mihi in Deum protectorem, et in locum refugii, ut salvum me facias : quoniam firmamentum meum et refugium meum es Tu : et propter Nomen Tuum dux mihi eris, et enutries me.

In Te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum : in justitia Tua libera me et eripe me.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Be You, unto me a God, a Protector, and a place of refuge, to save me. For You are my strength, and my refuge, and for Your Name’s sake You will be my Leader and will nourish me.

In You, o Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded. Deliver me in Your justice, and set me free.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Collect

Preces nostras, quaesumus, Domine, clementer exaudi : atque, a peccatorum vinculis absolutos, ab omni nos adversitate custodi. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Of Your clemency hearken to our prayers, o Lord, loosen us from the bonds of sin, and keep us from all adversity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.