Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A (2026)
Sunday, February 1, 2026
The message from today’s readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time is unmistakable and can be summed up in a word: humility! From the Old Testament, “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land… Seek justice, seek humility.” – Zephaniah 2:3b. From Psalms, “The Lord raises up those who are bowed down…. The Lord protects the resident alien.” — Psalm 146:8b, 9a. From the second reading: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something,” — 1 Corinthians 1:27-28. And, from the Gospel’s Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are the meek.” —Matthew 5:3a, 5a. The readings highlight God’s special providence for the humble, vulnerable, and marginalized in society. Together, these texts unveil a divine logic that upends worldly values: true blessedness belongs not to the powerful, but to the humble who trust in His providence.
If you step into any library or browse an online bookstore today, the “Self-Help” section is likely to overwhelm you with numerous titles, each claiming to offer a roadmap to happiness. These books often follow a familiar theme: the pursuit of happiness involves accumulating wealth, achieving personal goals, becoming more assertive, and ultimately manifesting your dreams. They provide checklists and strategies that promise success and fulfillment. However, in the pursuit of happiness, people find themselves trapped in a cycle of dissatisfaction, believing that they must constantly evolve, strive for more, and achieve loftier milestones to truly be happy. The Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5, 6, and 7 of Matthew’s Gospel offers Jesus’ revolutionary manifesto. St. Matthew tells us that Jesus went up the mountain, sat down, and began to teach. This is reminiscent of Moses going up Mount Sinai and receiving the law. The core of Jesus’ teaching is vividly embodied in today’s Gospel reading of the Beatitudes. In an era of social media boldness and political polarization, humility stands out as countercultural. It means recognizing our own smallness and the greatness of God. Overlook either, and true humility abates. As someone said, it’s not about thinking less of ourselves; rather, it’s about thinking of ourselves less. The Beatitudes portray Jesus’ own life, poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and summon us to acknowledge our need for God amid worldly pride. They demand action and can be a good examination of conscience for us, serving as a gauge of how we live. Their promises of the Kingdom, comfort, and inheritance are the rewards reaped by denying self and living a life modeled after Christ’s.
Let us take refuge in the Lord and follow in His path. As His disciples, we are called to live out the Beatitudes daily in our lives. Let us embrace a radical reorientation where the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Take time to reflect on the Sermon on the Mount, or today’s Beatitudes in the Gospel. Discover what they reveal about our Lord with what is communicated to us through the Gospel.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.