Psalm Reflection: The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A

“Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!” - Psalms 119

“Legalistic!”

“Pharisee!”

“Hypocrite!”

These are only a few of the many things I have been accused of for being a Catholic. Many people look at Catholicism and they only see rules and regulations. They say, 

“If Christ came to set us free, why are you restricting people!”

“Jesus came to die for our sins, so why are you telling people about their sins!”

“Just have a relationship with the Lord and let Him be the Lord of your life, not some human institution!”

And they can sound very convincing. But these people forget a few very crucial things.

1. If you do not have a relationship with God, everything is just rules and regulations. Catholics want God to be involved in every single part of their lives. As a result, the teachings of Christ have something to say about every single part of our lives. This is not to oppress us, but to set us free so we can thrive in this relationship and live in it with joy. 

In marriage, every single part of my life is affected by being married. I live, act, and relate to people differently, especially the opposite sex. Being a father and having responsibilities as a parent, there are things I should be doing and should not be doing. When we make a commitment, our behavior and lifestyle need to change. 

I think there is a prevalence of casual Christianity in the world that encourages you to love Jesus, but not require that you change anything about your life, like you can give your life to Jesus and then keep going about your business. That would be like getting married, and then to keep on dating and doing whatever I wanted. That is not real relationship. 

Jesus echoes this in the Sermon on the Mount: 

“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.” (Matthew 5:17-18). 

He deepens the law, not does not discard it. He calls for our righteousness to surpass the Pharisees, not by more rules, but with hearts alive in love.

2. The Church does not impose, it proposes. You do not have to do anything you do not want or choose to do, but the consequences of those choices are yours. The Church, in love and care for her people, does not want a single soul to go astray. So, she teaches with the authority given to her by Christ not to impose rules and judgments on people, but to lead people to lives of joy and freedom.

3. You cannot understand the Good News of Jesus Christ if you do not understand the bad news of sin. We have to talk about sin and hell, not in a condemning or judgmental way, but as a reality of life. 

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23). 

The Church preaches this truth in mercy, in the same way that a doctor needs to name the disease before they can prescribe the cure. Jesus came to do something about sin; that is why we have faith in Him and that is why He sets us free.

4. Lastly, try it. Try living your life according to the teachings of the Catholic Church for a month or two, and see how much your life improves. Pray daily, avoid sin and immorality, come to Mass, frequent the Sacraments (if you are baptized Catholic and able to do so), and read Scripture. Change your habits to reflect what the Lord asks of us, and see how your life transforms.

“Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!” We are blessed, because the law of the Lord leads us to freedom.

If your experience of Church, Catholicism, or Christianity resulted in your feeling ostracized, guilty, ashamed, unwelcome, judged, or condemned, you did not encounter the truth of Christ and His Church. Instead, you experienced a broken version of what the Lord intended for you. 

Remember, rules are not made to be broken. Rules prevent us from becoming broken. 

Lord, teach us Your law that we may walk in freedom. Amen.

Where have you felt God's law as chains, not wings? 

What freedom have you tasted in choosing the Lord’s path over the world's?

Where do you need to name your struggle so the Lord can prescribe a cure?

I am praying for you. Please pray for me and my family, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, February 15th, 2026, the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Psalms 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34.