Homily 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A I Homily 1 February 2026 Year A

 https://youtu.be/xkj0S_7E0d4

What makes a life truly successful? In a world that measures success by power, wealth,

and recognition, the readings on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year A invite us

to look at life through God’s eyes. They remind us that God chooses the humble and

calls the weak ‘blessed,’ revealing a very different path to true fulfilment.

The first reading is taken from the prophet Zephaniah who lived during the reign of King

Josiah of Judah, a time when the people had drifted away from God. Although there

were outward religious reforms, many hearts were still filled with pride, injustice, and

false worship. Zephaniah warns of the coming “Day of the Lord,” a time of judgment, but

he also speaks words of hope for those who sincerely return to God. In the first part of

the reading the prophet urgently calls the people to “seek the Lord, seek righteousness,

seek humility.” , words which we will again hear in the gospel narration of the

Beatitudes. This invitation shows that God’s desire is not to destroy, but to save. To

“seek the Lord” means more than performing religious duties; it means turning our

hearts toward God with honesty and trust. Righteousness calls us to live justly, to

choose what is right, and to care for others. Humility reminds us that we depend

completely on God and not on our own strength or status. God’s judgment is real, but

His compassion remains open to those who repent. In the latter part of the reading, the

tone changes from warning to promise. God speaks of a humble and lowly

remnant—people who trust in Him alone. These people do not lie or act unjustly. They

live in peace, free from fear, because God Himself protects them. This remnant

represents a renewed community shaped not by power or pride, but by faithfulness and

truth. In our anxious world—marked by wars and worries—God invites us to surrender.

Do we seek God daily with humble hearts? Are our words and actions truthful and just?

When we choose humility and trust in God, we become part of the people in whom God

delights and to whom He gives peace.

In the second reading taken from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul

reminds the Christians in Corinth to look honestly at themselves and remember how

God called them. Most of them were not rich, powerful, or highly educated by the

world’s standards. Yet God chose them - this was not an accident. Paul wants them to

understand that God’s way of choosing is very different from the world’s way. The world

values success, intelligence, strength, and status. People often measure their worth by

achievements, titles, or recognition. But God looks at the heart. God chooses what the

world calls “weak,” “foolish,” and “lowly” to reveal His power and wisdom. By doing this,

God shows that salvation is not something we earn by our abilities; it is a gift of grace.

Paul says that in Christ Jesus, God has become our wisdom, righteousness, holiness, 

and redemption. This means everything we truly need comes from Christ, not from

ourselves. We only need to trust Him and remain united with Christ. This message is

both comforting and challenging. It comforts us because it tells us that our weaknesses

do not disqualify us from God’s love or God’s plan. Even when we feel ordinary,

inadequate, or unnoticed, God can work powerfully through us. At the same time, it

challenges us to let go of pride. There is no room for boasting before God, because

everything we have is a gift. Our joy and confidence should come not from who we are

or what we have done, but from who God is and what He has done for us in Christ. St.

Paul passage invites us to humility, gratitude, and deep trust in God’s surprising ways.

A young man once spent a Sunday afternoon volunteering at a home for the aged. He

helped serve meals, listened to stories that were repeated many times, and sat quietly

with an elderly woman who had no visitors. When he left, he was tired and had missed

time with his friends. Nothing extraordinary had happened. No one applauded him, and

there was no reward or certificate. Yet as he walked home, he felt a deep sense of

peace and fulfilment. For a few hours that he spent there, he received something he

could not measure — a feeling that life had meaning. This is the kind of fulfilment Jesus

speaks about in the Beatitudes in the gospel according to Matthew. It is not excitement

or success as the world understands it. It is the quiet joy of knowing that we have loved,

served, and made space for others. In the Beatitudes, Jesus completely changes our

idea of what it means to live a blessed and successful life. Jesus goes up the mountain

and teaches his disciples and the crowd. But instead of giving laws, he gives attitudes

for life. The Greek word ‘makarios’ which is translated as “blessed” does not mean

“holy,” and neither does it mean “happy” in the sense of being in a good mood. Rather, it

refers to a fortunate state of life. Jesus is saying that those who are poor in spirit are

fortunate! “Blessed” is honorific language. It can be translated as “How honourable,” or

“How full of honour,” et cetera. Jesus calls blessed the poor in spirit, the meek, those

who mourn, the merciful, the pure of heart, and those who work for peace. According to

the world, these people look weak or unsuccessful. Yet Jesus says they are truly

blessed because God is close to them. The rewards Jesus promises—God’s kingdom,

comfort, mercy, and fullness of life—are not mainly for this world. They point toward the

life to come. So an important question arises: If the rewards are for the next life, what

about life now? The Beatitudes answer this clearly. They show us who a Christian is

here and now. They describe the way a follower of Jesus lives in everyday situations. A

Christian is someone who trusts God rather than power, shows mercy rather than

revenge, seeks peace rather than conflict, and remains faithful even in suffering. The

Beatitudes are not rules to earn heaven. They are signs of a heart that already belongs

to God. When we live these attitudes, we become witnesses to God’s kingdom in the

present world. Our lives quietly proclaim that God’s values are different from the world’s 

values. 

This Gospel invites us to examine ourselves. Do our choices reflect the

Beatitudes? Are we shaped more by success, status, and comfort, or by humility,

compassion, and justice? Jesus reminds us that the Christian life may not always look

impressive, but it is deeply meaningful. In living the Beatitudes, we begin to experience

God’s kingdom now, while journeying toward its fullness in eternal life. This week, let us

try to live just one Beatitude consciously, trusting that God is already at work in us. May

God bless us all.