Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday’s readings place a beautiful, and very practical, truth in front of us: God’s commandments are not a cage—they are a path. Sirach says plainly that the Lord sets before us “life and death… good and evil,” and that we truly can choose.
In other words, the spiritual life is not mainly about what we feel in a given week, but about what we choose—again and again—when no one is applauding, when we are tired, when our patience is thin, or when we are tempted to take the “easy way.”
In the Gospel, Jesus goes even deeper: He does not abolish the law—He fulfills it. And fulfillment means the Lord is not satisfied with a faith that is only “technically correct.” He wants a faith that is wholehearted. So Jesus speaks about anger, reconciliation, honesty, purity of heart—real interior discipleship, not mere appearances.
That is why this Sunday is such a providential bridge into Lent: it reminds us that holiness is not a special project for a few “religious experts,” but a daily decision to let Christ shape our words, reactions, relationships, and priorities.
This week also includes Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 16)—a moment when our nation remembers leadership and responsibility. It’s a good time to pray not only for elected officials, but also for the leaders closest to us: parents, teachers, employers, caregivers—and for the leadership each of us must practice in our own life: leading our thoughts, our habits, and our choices toward what is good.

Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday, February 18.
Ashes remind us that life is precious and passing—and that God is patient, ready to renew us when we turn back to Him. The world will tell us to “reinvent ourselves.” The Church tells us something better: return to the Lord—and let Him restore what is tired, fractured, or burdened.

Ash Wednesday Mass Schedule (with Distribution of Ashes)

• 8:30 AM
• 4:00 PM
• 7:00 PM

If you have been away from prayer, away from Mass, or simply weary in faith—come. Lent is not about perfection; it is about direction.

Reflection Questions for the Week

1. Where is God inviting me to choose “life” more intentionally—at home, at work, or in my inner life?
2. Is there any relationship where I need to seek reconciliation rather than “winning” an argument?
3. What habit of speech (complaining, sarcasm, harshness, exaggeration) do I want Christ to purify in me this Lent?
4. What is one concrete Lenten practice I will commit to—prayer, fasting, or almsgiving—so my love becomes more real?

Prayer for the Week

Lord Jesus, You fulfill the law with love. Help me to choose what gives life, to seek reconciliation quickly, and to live with a sincere heart. As Lent begins, renew me with Your mercy and lead me back to You with trust and courage. Amen.
In Christ,
Fr. Matt