Community Word: Disciples of Christ are called to be the salt and the light of the earth.
Theme: We are the salt and the light of the earth when we obey and teach God’s commandments and walk in His ways.
Promise: “…keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live.” (Sir 15:15)
Reflection
The theme for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We are the salt and the light of the earth when we obey and teach God’s commandments and walk in His ways. God gave us His commandments as our guide that will lead us to His kingdom because He loves us unconditionally. His commands are specific to make it easy for us to understand. We have to make sure that we know all of them by heart and more importantly follow them in everything we think, say and do. The Lord will surely be delighted when we strive to remain faithful and obedient to the law that He has crafted for us. By obeying His commands we are directed to walk in His pathways.
In the Gospel, Jesus said that He has come not to abolish the law but to fulfill. He came to establish a new covenant. It is not a list of do’s and don’ts, but a call to “holiness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.” The new covenant spells out the relationship of God and His people bound by love. In Jeremiah 31: 33 – 34, He said, “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the Lord. All, from the least to the greatest, shall know me, says the Lord, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.”
This is a more inspiring and compassionate covenant that the Lord has offered to us compared to the original Mosaic Law. The covenant of love is simplified into the greatest commandments; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Since these commandments have been etched in our hearts, the Spirit of the Lord provides the guidance we need as we apply them in our daily lives. We are nourished as we strive to follow these commands allowing us to grow spiritually more and more.
We are led to our internal transformation, making it possible for us to keep the law and live righteously. We become living witnesses of God’s love and inspiration to others. As salt of the earth, we share the spiritual blessings we receive allowing them to experience the joy of living a life spiced by the grace of God. As light of the world, we shed light to people living in darkness and draw them to be followers of Christ. In this way, we are able to exercise our duty to build the Church as one body of Christ and help in the mission of teaching the commandments, spreading the Good News of salvation and to bring people closer to God. When we continue to fulfill our covenant with the Lord, we are assured of this promise: “…keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live.” (Sir 15:15).
Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for the Covenant of love You gave us. We pray for Your guidance to love You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength each day of our life, and to love our neighbor. Guard us against anything that may compete for Your love and affection. Protect us from trials that may cause us to disobey your commandment and grant us the strength to overcome them. Remind us and help us whenever we are failing in following Your commands. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Reflection Guide Questions:

1. Do I see God’s commandments as guides that will lead me to have a better relationship with God and others? Or do I see them as obstacles in my life?
2. Which commandments of the Lord I am struggling to follow? What actions should I take to change this situation?
   This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
   February 12, 2023 (Sun) – Sir 15:15-20/ Ps 119:1, 2, 4, 5, 17, 8, 33, 34/ 1 Cor 2:6-10/ Mt 5:17-37
   February 13, 2023 (Mon) – Gn 4:1-15, 25/ Ps 50:1, 8, 16, 17, 20, 21/ Mk 8:11-13
   February 14, 2023 (Tue) – Gn 6:5-8; 7: 1-5, 10/ Ps 29:1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10/ Mk 8:14-21
   February 15, 2023 (Wed) – Gn 8:6-13, 20-22/ Ps 116:12-15, 18, 19/ Mk 8:22-26
   February 16, 2023 (Thu) – Gn 9:1-13/Ps 102:16, 18, 19-21, 29, 22-23/ Mk 8:27-33
   February 17, 2023 (Fri) – Gn 11:1-9/ Ps 33:10-15/ Mk 8:34-9:1
   February 18, 2023 (Sat) – Heb 11:1-7/ Ps145:2-5, 10, 11/ Mk 9:2-13
   “Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”