Walking with Jesus: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time A

For Sunday, February 1, 2026

Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12


What an amazingly attractive — but confusing — speaker Jesus was. He spoke against the popular beliefs of the time. The people were comfortable feeling that they were blessed if they were successful in life. They were fortunate if tragedy had not touched their families and loved ones. They were happy and lucky if they were able to live in peace amid the pressure of being ruled by a cruel and demanding Roman dictatorship while simultaneously living amid the rigorous demands of Jewish laws and religious traditions. Jesus told them they were promised eternal life if they lived the rule of love, the greatest law in the Bible: “‘You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22:37-39]

I would like to take a little liberty to talk about the Gospel. In 1994 I made my first of nine pilgrimages to the Holy Land. I tell people who are interested in doing likewise, “You will never the same.” It has changed my whole life — walking in the footsteps of Jesus, as I have titled my blogs. I repeat one tradition every time, in the same way, at the same place: At Gospel time at the Mount of Beatitudes, overlooking the harp-shaped, northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, I hand out a Bible opened to Matthew 5, 6, and 7 with the following instructions: Each person reads a passage, sentence, paragraph or whatever, and then passes it to the person next to them. We keep passing the Bible around until we finish those three chapters containing the Beatitudes. Everyone is touched — so many say, “Father, you picked out the right passage for me to say.” But I merely hand out the Bible — the Holy Spirit does the rest. Please try this yourself, reading these passages, relaxing with the Lord. You never will be the same.

You see, the Beatitudes are filled with questions and realisms that are addressed to all of Jesus’ disciples who have clearly chosen to follow Him. That’s each of us. They are a program for living our lives, modeled on the life of Jesus Himself:

• Each Beatitude in Latin begins with the word “beati,” which means blessed or happy or, more accurately, fortunate. Reflect on the different meanings: “Fortunate” says so much more.
• There are always two parts to a Beatitude: If you do (this), then (that) will follow. Each begins with the words, “Fortunate are those who” ... are poor, who mourn, who hunger, who weep, who are persecuted. Think on this: It all sounds ridiculous, foolish even — unless people have faith.
• The second part of each Beatitude helps, because we hear: “... theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” So Jesus is applying all of the Beatitudes to the next life — heaven — and the reward Jesus promises. Paul expresses this in Romans 8:18: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” (Scholars tell us that Romans 8 provides a complete summation of what it means to be a Christian.)

Now think on this: What is the reason for us as Christians — followers of Jesus — to live lives of love, caring, forgiveness and compassion; helping those who are down and out, who have nothing — when society tells us to take care of “numero uno” — me? What has Jesus given us? Think about it: He has given us hope that, because of Him, in spite of all the horribleness and non-love and bitterness that exists today, everything has an added value because of what it will mean for us in the next life — for eternity — in Heaven. Now, is that worth it?!

For another reflection, take a look at St. Luke’s Sermon on the Plain in Luke 4:21-30 — his rendition of Jesus’ guide of what it means to be His follower. (Keep in mind that we currently are in Year A readings; Luke’s explanations of the Beatitudes occur in Year C.) Luke takes the opposing viewpoint; e.g.: “Woe to you who are rich … are filled now … laugh now … whom all speak well of.” Here, Jesus is condemning what they are not doing: The rich are not needy; their material wants are fulfilled, life is satisfactory and they don't look to the final goal. Life is comfortable and they want more and don't care about others.

So I reflect on:

• In the Beatitudes Jesus teaches a set of values and attitudes that are diametrically opposed to the easy answers of society. Am I listening? It’s easy to sit and later say — maybe. Isn’t it?
• Jesus is moved with pity for people who are hurt by society, government, even me. Who do I blame for their suffering? Are the Beatitudes helping me change my thinking?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

This passage repeats the Beatitudes and adds: “The Beatitudes are the heart of Jesus’ teaching. They do not condemn but rather motivate. In a way they turn our world upside down. Do they do that to me? We pray for the peacemakers and for those who are persecuted and ask for the grace to see things going on around us in a new light.”