Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 15:15-20 (JB)

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus

He never commanded anyone to be godless.

If you wish, you can keep the commandments,

to behave faithfully is within your power.

He has set fire and water before you;

put out your hand to whichever you prefer.

Man has life and death before him;

whichever a men likes better 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 action of man.

He never commanded anyone to be godless,

he has given no one permission to sin.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sirach 15:15-20 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Sirach

If you choose, you can keep the commandments,

and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

The Lord has placed before you fire and water;

stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.

Before each person are life and death,

and whichever we choose will be given.

For great is the wisdom of the Lord;

he is mighty in power and sees everything;

his eyes are on those who fear him,

and he knows every human action.

He has not commanded anyone to be wicked,

and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 118:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 (JB)

R. Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord!

They are happy whose life is blameless,

who follow God’s law!

They are happy those who do his will,

seeking him with all their hearts. R.

You have laid down your precepts

to be obeyed with care.

May my footsteps be firm

to obey your statutes. R.

Bless your servant and I shall live

and obey your word.

Open my eyes that I may consider

the wonders of you law. R.

Teach me the demands of your statutes

and I will keep them to the end.

Train me to observe your law,

to keep it with my heart. R.

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

God in his wisdom predestined our glory before the ages began.

We have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which are coming to their end. The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. It is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.

These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

My brothers and sisters,

among the mature we do speak wisdom,

though it is not a wisdom of this age

or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish.

But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden,

which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

None of the rulers of this age understood this;

for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

As it is written,

“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;

for the Spirit searches everything,

even the depths of God.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Matthew 11:25 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.

Alleluia!

Matthew 11:25 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.

Alleluia!

Matthew 5:17-37 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Such was said to your ancestors; but I am speaking to you.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘ Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish them but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man 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 man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

‘For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must 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 his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he 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. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

‘You have learnt how it was said: You must 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 cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you 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 fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

‘Again, you have learnt 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 the 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.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28, 33-34, 37 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Such was said to your ancestors; but I am speaking to you.

Jesus said to his disciples: I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must 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 his brother will answer for it before the court.

‘You have learnt how it was said: You must 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.

‘Again, you have learnt 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. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:17-37 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

On the mountain, Jesus gathered his disciples around him

and he taught them, saying:

‘Do not think that I have come

to abolish the law or the prophets;

I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away,

not one letter, not one stroke of a letter,

will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments,

and teaches others to do the same,

will be called least in the kingdom of heaven;

but whoever does them and teaches them

will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness

exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“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;

and if you insult a brother or sister,

you will be liable to the council;

and if you say, ‘You fool,’

you will be liable to the hell of fire.

“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.

“Come to terms quickly with your accuser

while the two of you are on the way to court,

or your accuser may hand you over to the judge,

and the judge to the guard,

and you will be thrown into prison.

Truly I tell you, you will never get out

until you have paid the last penny.

“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.

“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 for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

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 for your whole body to go into hell.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife,

let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

But I say to you

that anyone who divorces his wife,

except on the ground of unchastity,

causes her to commit adultery;

and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard

that it was said to those of ancient times,

‘You shall not swear falsely,

but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’

But I say to you:

Do not swear at all,

either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

or by the earth, for it is his footstool,

or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

And do not swear by your head,

for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Let your word be ‘Yes,’ if ‘Yes,’ or ‘No,’, if ‘No’;

anything more than this comes from the evil one.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28, 33-34, 37 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

On the mountain, Jesus gathered his disciples around him

and he taught them, saying:

“Do not think that I have come

to abolish the law or the prophets;

I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness

exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“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;

and if you insult a brother or sister,

you will be liable to the council;

and if you say, ‘You fool,’

you will be liable to the hell of fire.

“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.

“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.

“Again, you have heard

that it was said to those of ancient times,

‘You shall not swear falsely,

but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’

But I say to you:

Do not swear at all,

either by heaven, for it is the throne of God.

Let your word be ‘Yes,’ if ‘Yes’ or ‘No,’ if ‘No’;

anything more than this comes from the evil one.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.