1 February 2026 (Sunday) / 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 February 2026 (Sunday)

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Zephaniah 2: 3; Zephaniah 3: 12-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 146: 6-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10
Second Reading: First Corinthians 1: 26-31
Alleluia: Matthew 5: 12a
Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a

First Reading : Zephaniah 2:3,3:12‐13

Seek the Lord,
all you, the humble of the earth,
who obey his commands.
Seek integrity,
seek humility:
you may perhaps find shelter
on the day of the anger of the Lord.
In your midst I will leave
a humble and lowly people,
and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
They will do no wrong,
will tell no lies;
and the perjured tongue will no longer
be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest
with no one to disturb them.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 145(146):6‐10

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
or
Alleluia!
It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
  who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
  the Lord, who sets prisoners free.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
or
Alleluia!
It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
  who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
  and upholds the widow and orphan.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
or
Alleluia!
It is the Lord who loves the just
  but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
  Zion’s God, from age to age.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
or
Alleluia!

Second Reading : 1 Corinthians 1:26‐31

Take yourselves for instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.

Alleluia: Matthew 5: 12a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
12 Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 5:1‐12a

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
  theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
  they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
  they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
  they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
  they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
  they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
  they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
  theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

For our reflection today:

The Beatitudes provide the “identity card” of Christians — this is our identity card — because they outline the face of Jesus himself, his style of living. Moreover, the “mount” recalls Sinai, where God gave Moses the Commandments. Jesus begins to teach a new law: to be poor, to be meek, to be merciful.... These “new commandments” are much more than a set of rules. Indeed, Jesus does not impose anything but reveals the way of happiness — his way — by repeating the word “blessed” eight times. But what does the word “blessed” mean? Because each of the eight Beatitudes begins with the word “blessed”. The original term does not mean one with a full belly or one who is doing well, but rather it is a person who is in a condition of grace, who progresses in God’s grace and progresses on God’s path: patience, poverty, service to others, comfort. Those who advance in these things are happy and shall be blessed. (Francis - General audience, 29 January 2020)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)