Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 
Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 
Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (Matthew 5:3) 
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 
Matthew 5:1-12a 
February 1, 2026 

The Israelites were struggling.  In their struggles our Lord speaks to them.  He speaks of the remnant that will remain in their midst.   

For several decades now, we have been a shrinking church.  Our numbers dwindle but the Lord is always with us.  Are we the remnant? 

What does it mean to be a remnant?   

The Lord speaks of “a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD.”  Jesus speaks of those who are “poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”  He speaks of those who are “meek.” 

To be poor in spirit is not to be weak in faith.  Rather, it is to recognize that we are not perfect, leading us to trust in the Lord.  To be meek is to accept what comes our way in the name of the Lord. 

Jesus also speaks of those “who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness?  Do you seek our Father’s Will in all things. 

These are the people who are part of the remnant.  These are the people who “seek the Lord.”  These are the “humble’ of whom the Lord speaks of through the prophet Zephaniah.  We demonstrate our hunger and thirst for righteousness when we observe God’s law.  

We are part of the remnant when we recognize that we need the Lord and surrender ourselves to our Father’s Will. 

In today’s psalm every verb points us to what the Lord does for us.  He “secures justice for the oppressed.”  When we struggle against those who reject God’s Will, God will secure his justice for us. 

When we are made captive, whether it be to others who oppress us or to our sins, our Lord will set us free when we turn to him. 

When we lose our way in spiritual blindness, our Lord will give spiritual sight to us. 

When we bow down before our Lord, He will raise us up. 

In all of these, we do well to “take refuge in the name of the Lord.”  We cannot save ourselves.  We do not need to.  The Lord will save us if we surrender our will to his. 

God’s justice is not an eye for an eye.  God’s justice is to give us what we are created for, his love and mercy. 

We do not make ourselves great.  What does it even mean to be great?  Do you want to be great according to “human standards?”  What good will this do you in eternity? 

When God chooses to reveal his power to use, He does not seek out those who by human standards are wise, powerful, or noble.  God chooses the foolish, weak, and lowly so that we might know it is his power at work in and through us. 

This doesn’t mean we should sit around and do nothing.  God wants us to our best and to leave the rest to him.  When we do our best, He multiples our efforts thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold. 

When you do good, when you succeed, boast in the Lord for He has made the good you do happen. 

Do not afraid when you are persecuted or insulted for doing God’s Will.  Rather, “Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in Heaven.” 

Peace, 

Fr. Jeff