Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 16, 2020

Matthew 5:17-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
   not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
   will pass from the law,
   until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
   and teaches others to do so
   will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
   will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
   that of the scribes and Pharisees,
   you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
 
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
   You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
   whoever is angry with brother
   will be liable to judgment;
   and whoever says to brother, ‘Raqa,’
   will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
   and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
   will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
   and there recall that your brother
   has anything against you,
   leave your gift there at the altar,
   go first and be reconciled with your brother,
   and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
   and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
   and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
   you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
 
“You have heard that it was said,
   You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
   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 to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
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 to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
 
“It was also said,
   Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
   whoever divorces his wife—unless the marriage is unlawful--
   causes her to commit adultery,
   and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
 
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
   Do not take a false oath,
   but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
   not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
   nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
   nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
   for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”

Preacher: Roberto Carvajal
​Song: "Ready to be Myself" by David Dunn

 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 9, 2020

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
   but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
   it is set on a lampstand,
   where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
   that they may see your good deeds
   and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Preacher: Jay-anne Desabelle
​Song: "Go Light Your World" by Kathy Troccoli

​The Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2020

Luke 2:22-40
 
When the days were completed for their purification
   according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem
   to present him to the Lord,
   just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
   Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
   and to offer the sacrifice of
   a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
   in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
 
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
   awaiting the consolation of Israel,
   and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
   that he should not see death
   before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
   and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
   to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
   he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
      “Now, Master, you may let your servant go
         in peace, according to your word,
      for my eyes have seen your salvation,
         which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
      a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
         and glory for your people Israel.”
 
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
   and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
   “Behold, this child is destined
   for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
   and to be a sign that will be contradicted
   —and you yourself a sword will pierce--
   so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
 
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
   the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
   having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
   and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
   but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
   she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
   to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
 
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
   of the law of the Lord,
   they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
   and the favor of God was upon him.”
​
Preacher: Adela Miron
Song: "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms" by Michael Card