4TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIMES 1st FEBRUARY 2026

  The belief that material prosperity equates to God’s blessing is a recurring theme, evident both in contemporary society and among the Israelites before their Babylonian exile. This perspective often led to the conclusion that those who were prosperous were favored by God, while those who were not bore some fault. However, the Babylonian exile served as a catalyst for a profound shift in understanding.

  The prophet Zephaniah, much like the figure in the book of Job, illustrates that true blessings from God are not contingent on material wealth but rather on humility and complete reliance on Him. Zephaniah 2:3 states, “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have carried out his commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.” This emphasis on humility and seeking refuge in God is a testament to divine favor, as further echoed in Psalm 37:11: “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace to the full.” This principle is consistent throughout both the Old and New Testaments, seen in the lives of figures like David, Moses, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, and most notably, in the humble origins and life of Jesus Christ himself.

 The Gospel reading of the Beatitudes further elaborates on this concept. The Beatitudes, as presented in Matthew 5:3-12, outline eight pathways to experiencing God’s presence and blessings. These blessings are not material but spiritual: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3). Living a Beatitudes life is a life of grace, actively embodying God’s kingdom in the present and anticipating its fulfillment in the hereafter.

                                                           Fr. Jerome Otitoyomi Dukiya C.S.Sp