The 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time | Sunday 19 February 2023

Today is Sunday the 19th of February, beginning the 7th week of Ordinary time.



Paul Zach sings, ‘The Greatest Commandment’.


Love the Lord your God
With all your heart and soul and mind
And love your neighbor as yourself
Love the Lord your God
With all your heart and soul and mind
And love your neighbor as yourself
Let us be known, let us be known
By the way we love
Let us be known, let us be known
By the way we love
Love the Lord your God
With all your heart and soul and mind
And love your neighbor as yourself
Love the Lord your God
With all your heart and soul and mind
And love your neighbor as yourself
Love the Lord your God (Let us be known)
With all your heart and soul and mind (Let us be known)
And love your neighbor as yourself (By the way we love)
Love the Lord your God (Let us be known)
With all your heart and soul and mind (Let us be known)
And love your neighbor as yourself (By the way we love)
Love the Lord your God (Let us be known)
With all your heart and soul and mind (Let us be known)
And love your neighbor as yourself (By the way we love)
Love the Lord your God (Let us be known)
With all your heart and soul and mind (Let us be known)
And love your neighbor as yourself (By the way we love)
Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is
Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is
Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is love

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.


Matthew 5:38-48


‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Today, I listen as Jesus encourages me to imitate God in the way I love others.

In what ways do I love as God loves?

What gets in the way of me loving as God loves?

Who are the enemies that Jesus asks me to love?


I share with Jesus the name of someone I find difficult to love.

I ask Jesus to help me love and pray for that person.

As I listen to the passage again I think about the perfection of my heavenly Father, and Jesus’ call for his disciples - including me - to ‘Be perfect.’

In the closing moments of this time of prayer, I ask the Holy Spirit to show me how I can go the extra mile in showing God’s love today.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.