February 15, 2026
Discover the deeper meaning and connections found in this weeks' readings, through these great commentaries written by our priests.
Explore this weeks' readings and hear what God is saying to us through His Word.
Find out more about how we can mark this special day in our liturgy.
See our music recommendations for the liturgy.
The older I get the more aware I am of the choices I have made and the consequences of those choices, not only for me but for others. Some were the right choices, others were not.
Regardless of what I think about or how I evaluate my past choices I know this - lifetime of choosing has influenced the way I see and engage the world.
For better or worse my life and world have been built around the choices I have made. YOURS too!
Within every set of circumstances, good, bad, or neutral, there is always a choice to be made.
As our first reading tells us, “Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given”.
Everyday we choose between life and death. Everyday we are choosing in one direction or the other.
We all have reasons for the choices we make. When you look back, there were good choices and bad choices.
Sure, we make lots of other choices but in the end the only choice that really matters is the one between life and death. It is both the ultimate choice and the ultimate criteria for making all other choices.
Bringing this to an everyday level: could our daily lifestyle be described as life-giving? Do we choose to help sustain and nurture life for ourselves and others? Or do we choose to diminish or ignore the good of others?
Do we try to make our world a better place?
Both readings (1st and Gospel) call us to evaluate our habitual ways of choosing.
Jesus did not come to make us good but to make us alive.
He set us free to make choices that support, sustain, grow, and nurture life for ourselves and one another.
When Jesus says in today’s gospel, “You have heard how it was said…. But I say this to you…,” he is asking us to look within ourselves, to look at the circumstances within us. He is moving our vision inward.
This inward looking is not an escape from or avoidance of the world around us. It’s the recognition that the choices we make, the words we speak, and the actions we take in the world around us first begin and arise from the world within us.
It’s not enough, Jesus says, to simply restrain from murdering someone. We will be just as liable to judgment if we are angry with a brother or sister. Jesus wants transformation of our hearts more than mere compliance with the law. It is the transformed heart that begins to change our life and relationships.
Choosing life begins with looking inside. So, what do you see when you look within? We know when we’ve chosen life and we know when we’ve chosen death. We can feel the difference.
Every time we make a judgment of someone else, we chosen death.
When we betray ourselves, we’ve chosen death.
When we promote or are indifferent to injustice we have chosen death.
When we isolate and live in fear we’ve chosen death.
We also know what it’s like to choose life.
When we come to the altar and hold out our hands to receive the Body of Christ or for a blessing, we are choosing life.
We choose life every time we offer forgiveness and work on our relationships. We choose life when we care for the poor, strive for justice, and respect the dignity of every human being.
We choose life when beauty is our world view.
We choose life when we are generous with our time, compassion, money, and resources. When we choose to love we are choosing life.
There is good news and bad news about the choices we make.
The good news is that we will be given what we choose, and the bad news is that we will be given what we choose. So, choose life, choose life often, and if you need to, choose again.
Let’s not stop choosing life and remember, so that wherever we go, whoever we are with, whatever we are doing there is nothing but life, there is only life, there is nothing but God, there is only God.
“Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given”(Sirach 15:17).
The person presiding at Mass today will almost certainly want to use the readings to help the people prepare for Lent.
The reading from Ecclesiasticus emphasises choice so invite the people to choose during Shrovetide what to do during Lent.
Paul speaks of the hidden mystery revealed which is the mystery of the Word made flesh, crucified and risen. The Paschal mystery into which our Baptism integrates us and so emphasise that Lent is the time to prepare for renewal of Baptismal vows at the great Vigil.
In the Gospel reading the importance of understanding that Lent is not just about adding to the keeping of rules and regulations but about a change of heart. An emphasis on daily time for prayer and building of one’s life on openness to the Spirit of love as the fulfilment of the Law.
Today might be a day for emphasising the Penitential Rite and devoting more time than usual to it. For example these ideas might be incorporated into the Rite as follows:
Pr. Lent begins on Wednesday.
In these moments of silence
a little longer than usual
let’s think about that
and resolve to use this special time
to prepare for the moment
when we renew our Baptismal Promises on Easter Day.
Shall we sit down
(Give the people several minutes for reflection)
Pr. Lord Jesus
Lent is the time for us to choose
to follow you more faithfully.
Help us to choose generously.
Lord, have mercy.
P. Lord, have mercy.
Pr. Christ Jesus
On Wednesday we begin to prepare
to celebrate your death and resurrection
and to renew the promises made at our Baptism.
Help us to spend this time seriously.
Christ , have mercy.
P. Christ, have mercy.
Pr. Lord Jesus,
pour out your Spirit upon us
that these forty days may be filled with your love
in our loving generosity
towards our brothers and sisters in need.
Pr. Lord, have mercy.
P. Lord, have mercy.
Pr. May almighty God etc.
Before the blessing the person presiding at the Mass might remind the people again of Lent and encourage them again to spend Shrovetide in preparing for it and making their resolutions of time for prayer, going without seriously and giving generously.
The hymns have been chosen from various sources:
Blest are the pure in heart (CFE88, L908), LHON174)
Open your ears, O Christian people (CFE582, L472, LHON546)
Seek ye first the kingdom of God (CFE633, L820, LHON604)
Christ is made the sure foundation (CFE109, L456)
Key
CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone
L – Laudate
LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)
TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
