The Nazareth Page  - A gospel meditation for your home

February 1, 2026 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time- Matthew 5:1-12a

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
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I once encountered a piece of advice that has helped me survive difficult times. It went something like this: pursue progress not perfection. Being somewhat of an idealistic, this allowed me to avoid becoming discouraged when I was presented an ideal that I (or perhaps no one) is likely to reach.

When I read today’s gospel that contains what are called “the beatitudes,” I interpreted its directives not so much as fully attainable, but as goals to work on, bit by bit, each day.

Let’s briefly touch on them...

First, we are invited to be poor of spirit. To me that means resisting the temptation to think that monetary or material riches are all important. I should be satisfied with what is mine (or ours) and be generous with others in need. Life is most basically not about getting as much as you can, but of giving to others in need, of sharing rather than hording.

Next, Jesus teaches that blessed are those who mourn for as he sees it, they will be comforted. For me this is a difficult beatitude to understand.  But after much thought, I think is it partly an invitation to accept the inevitable difficulties and challenges that come to us. It is like Jesus saying that we should take up our cross each day and follow him. It will be hard to do, but it also opens us to a comfort that comes only from God.

This is followed by the invitation to be meek, which is also stated elsewhere as “humility of heart.” So don’t think of yourself as better than others. Don’t be boastful. Accept yourself as you are, and your life as God’s gift. As times you may experience sadness and disappointment, but God’s presence and comfort is yours as well.

Next, Jesus adds the invitation to be peacemakers when discord and anger are present, value integrity and truthfulness in word and deed, and finally, seek of be of one heart with others. All of this may not win us success in a worldly sense. In fact, we can expect criticism and even persecution. Much as Jesus did. When thinking of the beatitudes in this way, we might see them as a good description of Jesus.

Each in our own way is to bring about “earth as it is in heaven” It is God’s will to see Jesus as the great example for us, shown in how he lays down a set of attitudes and actions that form the building blocks of God’s will for us. They are surely challenging in a world that often pays more attention to their opposites.

David M. Thomas, PhD