20260201 SETTING NEW STANDARDS
01 February 2026, Sunday, 4th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13 |
In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people
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.
Responsorial 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 |
God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, to shame the wise
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.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt11:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt5:12a |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad:
your reward will be great in heaven.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 5:1-12a |
How happy are the poor in spirit
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.’
SETTING NEW STANDARDS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Zep 2:3; 3:12-13; Ps 146:6-10; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Mt 5:1-12]
What does it mean to be a Christian? Is being a Christian different from being one who is not? This is the question we are called to reflect upon this Sunday. If being a Christian does not make us different from non-Christians, then why do we even bother to convert to Catholicism? We might as well remain where we are and be like everyone else in the world. Yet this is precisely what the world wants of us. Today, the world speaks much about inclusivity, which often means trying to behave like everyone else and adopting the same values as the world. The world does not want us to stand out, but prefers that everyone be the same. To adopt values that differ from those of the world is often seen as being anti-social, non-inclusive, or unwilling to accept the notion that all values are equal and must be embraced.
But to be a Christian is truly a call to be different–not for the sake of being different, but to live an authentic life in Christ. St Paul, writing to the Romans, says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2). Indeed, in the second reading, St Paul reminds us that the way God measures the world is different from the way we do. “God chose what is foolish by human reckoning to shame the wise; and God chose what is weak by human reckoning to shame the strong; those whom the world considers common and contemptible are the ones God has chosen–those who are nothing at all, to show up those who are everything.”
God wishes to remind us that His standards are not the standards of the world. We see what is external, but God looks into the heart. For this reason, God chose apostles of ordinary and humble backgrounds–fishermen, revolutionaries, and the uneducated. As St Paul asks, “Consider yourselves, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise by human standards, how many were influential, or came from noble families?”
Consequently, the measure of what is truly good cannot be that of the world, but that of Christ. As St Paul says, “The human race has nothing to boast about to God; but you, by God’s doing, have become members of Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption. As Scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast in the Lord.” Christ is the measure of everything in life. After encountering the Risen Lord, St Paul declares, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way” (2 Cor 5:16). “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Cor 5:17). Christians, therefore, belong to the new creation. We are given a new identity, a new perspective on life, and a new purpose.
What is this new identity that we put on when we come to know Christ? It is the identity of sonship and daughtership in Christ. This new identity requires us to die to our old self–to be crucified and buried with Him–so that we may walk in newness of life with Christ. We put aside the old identity, which is marked by sin and selfishness. Writing to the Galatians, St Paul says, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child, then also an heir, through God” (Gal 4:4-7).
Indeed, in Christ we have become heirs with Him because we have received His Spirit. As St Paul further explains, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom 8:14-17).
Secondly, we are given a new perspective on life after encountering the Risen Lord. We come to realize that our life on this earth is passing. This new perspective enables us to see the world differently, from the vantage point of the resurrection. St Paul, writing to the Colossians, says, “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth; for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)
Hence, we are called to observe higher standards from the perspective of eternity, as taught by our Lord in the Beatitudes. The eight Beatitudes are fundamentally be-attitudes. In other words, the Beatitudes teach us to look at the world not through worldly eyes that measure everything solely by personal perspectives, preferences, and desires. Rather, we are called to view everything in life in light of eternity and the blessed life offered to us through Christ’s death and resurrection. Because they are be-attitudes, they speak of our fundamental posture towards worldly understandings of poverty, hunger and thirst, pain, suffering, and rejection. Conversely, the Beatitudes also expose the attitudes we must not adopt with regard to the things of this world and the sufferings of humanity. How we view these realities will determine our happiness and fulfilment in life, especially in our relationship to wealth, possessions, suffering, trials, loneliness, opposition, and injustice.
The fundamental disposition required of us as Christians is poverty of spirit. For many in the world, it is difficult to accept that being poor is a necessary disposition for welcoming grace and God’s love. We believe that self-sufficiency is the best safeguard for security. When we lack something, we often feel compelled to fight for it and to use every means–both scrupulous and unscrupulous–to obtain it. As a consequence, we are never truly at peace with ourselves, because no matter how much we possess, it never seems to be enough. We strive constantly for justice and feel an ongoing need to prove ourselves.
As Christians, however, we should not be afraid of being poor in spirit. What matters most is the attitude, not simply the fact of material poverty. Material poverty is not necessarily a blessing, but neither is it a curse. What truly matters is how we view the things of this world and what we desire in life. To be poor in spirit means to be humble before the gifts of God. We do not demand from God what we think will make us happy; rather, we are docile and receptive to the blessings God chooses to give us. We live in trust and faith, while doing all that we can. In other words, we are not greedy, nor do we grasp at what is not ours or envy what others have. Instead, we receive everything with gratitude and thanksgiving as God’s gifts to us. Only those who are poor in spirit truly possess the kingdom of heaven.
Finally, we are given a new purpose: to live for Christ and not for ourselves. We are given this new purpose so that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him. As St Paul writes, “For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them” (2 Cor 5:14-15). Writing to the Galatians, St Paul also says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:19-20).
Indeed, living for others requires us to be gentle with the weak and with sinners, and meek in the face of evil. We are called to mourn with and for others by identifying ourselves with them. By sharing in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, we also share in their hunger and thirst for what is right. By being merciful to those who suffer, we come to share in God’s mercy, for our hearts become conformed to His. We know that God, too, is merciful towards us. Finally, we are called to be peacemakers in the world and to suffer for the sake of what is right. Living such a life brings us true happiness, because we live not for ourselves but for others. Our lives become meaningful and purposeful as we give ourselves to the causes that promote the good of humanity.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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