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Epiphany Season · Year A

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 8, 2026

The Sermon on the Mount, Jan Brueghel the Elder
The Sermon on the Mount, Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1598J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Bruegel's son paints a vast Flemish landscape and puts the sermon in it as one small knot of people, with the rest of the panel given to the countryside and the crowd walking out to hear.You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid … let your light shine before others.Jan Brueghel the ElderSon of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, called 'Velvet' Brueghel (1568-1625) for his handling of surfaces. He specialised in flowers, animals and paradise landscapes, often painting them into pictures by friends.J. Paul Getty Museum, Los AngelesFounded on an oil fortune and endowed well enough to buy against anyone, with European painting at the Getty Center above Los Angeles.J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:13-16Mt 5:13-16
Second Reading1 Cor. 2:1-51 Cor 2:1-5
First ReadingIsa. 58:7-10Is 58:7-10
Responsorial PsalmPs. 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)Ps 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)

Overview & Insights

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:14)

Jesus tells his disciples they are salt that can lose its flavor and light that is not meant to be hidden. A lamp, he says, is set on a stand rather than under a basket, so that its light serves everyone in the house.

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Take it further: Matthew 5:13-16

Commentary

Commentary on Matthew 5:13-20Commentary on Mt 5:13-20 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary commentary on the communal logic of salt and light, both useless kept to themselves.

Matthew 5:13-20 CommentaryMt 5:13-20 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary tracing salt's ancient value as a way into what it costs to lose your flavor.

Matthew 5 CommentaryMt 5 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse by verse reading of the salt and light sayings inside the wider Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:14-16 CommentaryMt 5:14-16 Commentary Precept Austin

Deep verse by verse study notes gathering many conservative scholars on the lamp set on a stand.

Matthew 5:13 CommentariesMt 5:13 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregated classic commentary on salt losing its savor and being fit for nothing but the road.

Matthew 5 - Barnes' NotesMt 5 - Barnes' Notes StudyLight

Barnes' Notes verse by verse on the disciples as salt and light in a watching world.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A Loyola Press · Sunday Connection

Loyola Press background and reflection questions on what it means to be salt and light in daily life.

Background & Word Study

Matthew 5:13 InterlinearMt 5:13 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek word by word with parsing for salt, savor, and the verb behind losing its taste.

Matthew 1-13 OverviewMt 1-13 Overview BibleProject

Animated literary overview of Matthew's opening chapters, including the Sermon on the Mount's opening images.

The Church Fathers

Matthew 5 - Catena Bible & CommentariesMt 5 - Catena Bible & Commentaries Catena

Patristic comment on the disciples as salt and light set visibly before the world.

Study Hub

Matthew 5:13-20Mt 5:13-20 Textweek

A gathered set of links and preaching angles on this week's Gospel text.

Podcast

SB523 - Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Working Preacher · Sermon Brainwave

A roundtable of preachers talking through what salt and light demand of an ordinary congregation.

Worship & Prayers

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A The Lectionary Page

The full set of appointed collects and readings for this Sunday in one place.

Art & Music

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A Vanderbilt

Curated artwork keyed to this week's readings, useful for a bulletin or sermon slide.

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