The Nazareth Page- A gospel meditation for your home

February 15, 2026 – Sixth  Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 5:17-37

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Download this simple process to Prepare for Sunday using the Observe, Judge, Act Method

A close priest friend of mine once told me about a time when he was visited by a sign salesman who sold outdoor signs to churches. His biggest seller was a large outdoor billboard type sign listing the Ten Commandments. My friend, who was also my pastor, told the salesman that he was quite familiar with those commandment signs, but he mentioned to the salesman that he would be more interested in purchasing one that listed the eight beatitudes that Jesus presented in his Sermon on the Mount.

The salesman was speechless for a bit because the company he represented didn’t have a sign with that. My pastor, not one to ever miss an opportunity to teach, quickly went on to instruct the salesman about the moral teachings as more fully presented to us by Jesus. He did not ignore the value of the teachings embodied in the Ten Commandments but basically took the opportunity to instruct the traveling salesman about how Jesus, one might say, presented a deeper understanding of the law God expects we follow.

The beatitudes best describe this upgrading of God’s laws. True goodness is not just about behavior or actions, but also involves human thoughts and attitudes. Genuine virtue and goodness come from positive loving attitudes. They are about the desires of our hearts. That’s why love of God and love of neighbor are fundamental and always connected in the teaching of Jesus. Love, respect and honesty are primary virtues in the teachings of Jesus.

I never learned what eventually happened between my pastor and the salesman of biblical signs. Hopefully it encouraged the salesman to more fully examine his own life. Or maybe suggest that the sign company he represented expand their offerings.

The teachings of Jesus can at times can be very challenging. We noted in the first Nazareth Page for this month that the words of Jesus can be deeply challenging, but not impossible. We also know that our God is forgiving, slow to anger and full of mercy.

We live in a world today that seems at times to have gone off-course. Of course, none of us are perfect. Former president Jimmy Carter, a very committed Christian, was once asked if he ever sinned. He smiled and recalled one of the beatitudes in today’s gospel. The reference was to prohibiting looking at a woman, not his wife, with lust. Carter added no further details, but there were lots of knowing smiles around him.   

David M. Thomas, PhD