The Word today, Lent1A
- Admin
- Feb 21
- 2 min read
February 23 - February 28, 2026
St Polycarp, bishop and martyr
Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18 The Old Testament has a very high moral vision—expressed quite concretely and practically in this reading. Even though the text is very old, the teaching still speaks today. The examples given illustrate how we may be compassionate and just or, in a word, holy.
Matthew 25:31-46 Our Gospel is really more a tableau than a parable. Very simply, our choices have consequences.
Isaiah 55:10-11 The readings of Lent do indeed challenge, but they also encourage. Today we hear of God’s effective word, carrying out what it says. One way to listen might be to ask: has this been true for me in my life? Have I found the word of God an effective in my hearing and living?
Matthew 6:7-15 We often tend to separate worship and life. The prophets of old often pointed this out and Jesus does so again in the context of the Lord’s Prayer. Simps put, prayer from the heart, leads to forgiveness from the heart. The can be no separation.
Jonah 3:1-10 The ironic book of Jonah is serious about conversion as we see from the reaction not only of the humans, but even the beasts, herds and flocks!
Luke 11:29-32 There is more to the Gospel than a reference back to Jonah. Are we such a generation, unmoved and complacent?
Esther 4:12, 14-16, 23-25 In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches and encourages prayer of petition. Accordingly, in the first reading, Queen Esther makes a very moving and heart-felt prayer of petition.
Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus’ teaching on prayer can still take us by surprise — it all seems to simple. There is, however, really only one petition: may your kingdom come.
St Gregory of Narek abbot, doctor of the Church
Ezekiel 18:21-28 We can all change and repentance is a possibility always on the table. This is God’s desire for us — and our slightly threatening reading is finally positive.
Matthew 5:20-26 Following the best Jewish tradition, Jesus teaches that sin comes from the heart, from within. It is our attitudes which count, in every sense. The risk of any formal worship is to think that when we’ve done that, we’re done. No way, as Jesus illustrates in the appended parable.
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Against the background of the covenant, Moses outlines our side of the bargain. Notice that we are to keep his commands with our heart. The Gospel takes that a step deeper.
Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus demands of us a deeper and more costly love, taking us well beyond the conventional and even the natural.
References
-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2026p, February 22). First Sunday of lent. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022226.cfm
-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings
Comments