6th Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A
First Reading: Sirach 15:15–20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1–2, 4–5, 17–18, 33–34
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6–10
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Matthew 11:25
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:17–37
First Reading: Sirach 15:15–20
The First Reading for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, is from the Book of Sirach 15:15–20, although it should have commenced at verse 14, as it is in that verse that the author Ben Sira articulates his interpretation of Genesis, stating, “God in the beginning created human beings and made them subject to their own free choice.”
Some scholars of the sacred text suggest that Ben Sira engages in an argument with other Old Testament passages, such as Exodus 11:10, which states that Pharaoh sinned because God had hardened his heart against Moses and the Israelites, and that David sinned against God by taking a census, as God had incited him against the Israelites. However, Ben Sira dismisses the notion that God has a role in causing humans to sin; rather, each individual possesses within their own capacity the free will and the ability to determine their own destiny.
According to Ben Sira, “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.”
Here, Ben Sira aligns with other sacred Scriptures, such as Matthew 5:19 in today’s Gospel Reading, where Jesus states, “…whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” which bears a striking resemblance to Ben Sira’s assertion, “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you.”
Ben Sira and the Natural Law
Ben Sira also aligns with the Book of Wisdom 11:24, which states, “For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate.” Additionally, Ben Sira shares the perspective of James in 1:13, asserting, “No one experiencing temptation should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.”
Furthermore, Romans 1:18–32 attributes to the Apostle Paul the idea that God permits those who desire impurity, lusts, and degraded passions to persist in their free choice of the punishment they deserve.
God’s gift of free will would be meaningless—even cruel—if He had not also provided us with guidance, standards, and the help we need to consistently make choices that honor Him rather than ourselves. Catholic Christianity teaches that God assists us on our journey by inscribing the natural law into our hearts—an innate awareness of good and evil.
Beyond this, He has given us explicit commands, beginning with the original mandate to “be fruitful and multiply,” followed by the enduring command to observe the Passover, first instituted on the night of the Exodus and later renewed by Christ Jesus in the New Covenant, freeing us from sin and death.
The Ten Commandments, too, were engraved by God’s own finger and delivered to Moses on Mount Horeb, then reaffirmed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
The Catechism and the Moral Law
This profound reality is powerfully affirmed by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that the moral law—written by God in the depths of every human heart—is far more than a set of external rules. It is, in fact, a profound invitation to communion with Him.
As paragraph 1955 states:
“The natural law expresses the original moral sense which enables man to discern by reason the good and the evil, the truth and the lie: ‘The natural law is written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin… But this command of human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit and our freedom must be submitted.’”
(Cf. Romans 2:14–15; Gaudium et Spes 16.)
Thus, the Catechism makes clear that God’s law, inscribed within us, not only guides but also empowers us, ensuring that we are never left in confusion or error. Instead, we are equipped with both the light of reason and divine revelation, so that our freedom is always directed toward goodness and, ultimately, the glory of God.
In faithfully following this law, we become—as the Church teaches—“co-workers in the truth” and heirs to the blessings God promises to those who love Him.
The Holy Spirit and Divine Wisdom
Most importantly, we are never left to our own devices, for God Himself dwells within us through the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:6–10, the Spirit “scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.”
Because of this indwelling, we are able to speak God’s mysterious, divine wisdom—ordained for our glory before time began—a wisdom the rulers of this world failed to grasp, or else they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Thus, through God’s law written in our hearts and the Spirit who guides us, we are continually led toward the fullness of life and the blessings God desires for us.
Christ and the Fulfillment of the Law
In today’s Gospel Reading from Matthew 5:17–37, considerable attention is often directed to the “But I say to you” statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
It is indeed powerful how God, who incarnated in the flesh, elevates His commandments given in the Old Covenant to a higher standard—an elevated expectation that we, as the People of God, are prepared for, and a higher standard that the Holy Spirit, now dwelling within us, is capable of helping us achieve.
It is commendable and admirable that we serve a God who sets lofty expectations for us, rather than one who merely accepts the minimum effort. Such a God desires us to excel in Him.
Some within the Church today hold a misguided belief that the practice of the Catholic faith should be made simpler and more accommodating. They suggest fewer fasting days, more casual attire at Mass and among the religious, less emphasis on penitence, and support for individuals in their sins.
Discussions tend to focus less on sin and obedience to commandments and more on inclusion and acceptance. This approach—centered on minimal effort and a relaxed attitude toward holiness—contradicts Christ Jesus’s teachings, who said:
“…unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven, and whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”
Law and Liturgy
So, what is the relationship between law and liturgy? Of course, we could point out how the liturgy helps us obey the law. That is true, but let us focus on the ultimate purpose of both the law and the liturgy.
Since both originate from the Holy Trinity, they share the same goal: our good.
This revelation is evident in the blessing linked to the Fourth Commandment, which promises that obeying our parents will lead to long life. Psalm 119 celebrates all the blessings of the law, and Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes—“blessed are you” statements—linking obedience to divine blessing.
Likewise, the Church teaches in paragraph 1082 of the Catechism that:
“In the Church’s liturgy, the divine blessing is fully revealed and communicated. The Father is acknowledged and adored as the source and goal of all blessings… In His Word—who became incarnate, died, and rose for us—He fills us with blessings. Through His Word, He pours into our hearts the Holy Spirit, the Gift that contains all gifts.”
Even James 1:17 affirms that the law, unlike the liturgy, remains unchangeable, stating:
“…all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.”
Final Reflection
If the law and the liturgy are given to us to be our blessings, then it naturally follows that the further the world moves away from divine law and the more it drifts from living the liturgy, the less blessed it will be.
Truly, we have more work to do in this world to reveal its beauty and blessedness through God—and that work always begins with us becoming a liturgical people.
Looking for more reflections like this one?
The Liturgical Sense of The Readings at Mass – Year A by David L. Gray offers a transformative journey through the Sunday Mass readings and Holy Days of Obligation, inviting both clergy and laity into deeper communion with the living Word and the rhythm of the Catholic liturgy. Rooted in the Liturgical Sense of the Scriptures, this book reveals the dynamic and mutual illumination between the Word of God and the ritual life of the Church, allowing every reading and prayer to draw the faithful further into the mystery of Christ and the mission of the Church.
Spanning the full structure of the Mass, from the Opening Rite to the Concluding Rite, Gray’s thoughtful commentaries provide a lens through which the Mass and the Bible mutually interpret and enliven one another. Readers are encouraged to go beyond passive attendance and embrace active participation in the sacred mysteries. This volume is more than a guide to Scripture—it is an invaluable resource for homily preparation, personal study, group discussion, and spiritual renewal, challenging all who approach it to contemplate more deeply, pray with greater sincerity, and live with intentionality as missionary disciples.
Image: Photo by Sylvain Brison on Unsplash
