Blessed are Those Who Have a Heart Open to God
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!”Ps. 146
Jesus speaks with divine authority, yet with a language that is close, full of mercy and hope. In the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12), Jesus reveals to us the heart of God and shows us the path to true happiness, which is not the one proposed by the world, but that of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The world says: happy are the rich, the strong, those who command, those who impose themselves. Jesus says the opposite: happy are the poor, the meek, those who mourn, those who are persecuted for doing good. Here lies the great Christian paradox: happiness doesn’t come from having or pretending, but from trusting in God.
- To be poor in spirit means recognizing that we need God. It is the humble heart that does not rely on its own strength, but on the Lord. The poor in spirit know how to say: “Lord, without You I can do nothing.” To such a heart, God grants the Kingdom. God resists the proud and gives His grace to the humble. This is the gateway to all the other virtues and gifts of God.
- Meekness is not weakness; it is strength controlled by love. The meek person does not respond with violence and does not seek revenge. Jesus Himself describes His heart as “meek and humble.” The meek trust that God will bring about justice.”
- Jesus consoles those who suffer with hope. Those who mourn are those who carry a cross: illness, loss, loneliness, injustice. God is not indifferent to these tears; He gathers them and transforms them into consolation.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is not only about laws, but about living according to the will of God. It is the deep desire that good may overcome evil, to live uprightly, to love as Jesus loves.
- The merciful are those who know how to forgive, understand, and help. They do not judge harshly, because they know they too need forgiveness. Jesus teaches us that the measure we use will be the measure God uses with us.
- To have a clean heart is to love without duplicity, without hypocrisy, without evil intentions. It is a heart sincere before God and others; purified by grace, it is able to see God.
- Peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence of God in the midst of them.
Jesus does not promise a life without the cross, but He does promise a life full of meaning, hope, and love. Whoever lives the Beatitudes begins to experience, even now, the Kingdom of God in their heart. Jesus assures us that no suffering endured out of love for Him is useless.
St. Blaise | February 3
You may be familiar with the annual “blessing of throats” that many parishes in the United States use to commemorate the beloved bishop and martyr. St. Blaise lived in the fourth century in Turkey and Armenia. Due to religious persecution, he was forced to flee and hide in a cave in the back country in order to save his life.
History has it that one day a group of hunters stumbled upon where St. Blaise was living. They found the bishop kneeling in prayer, surrounded by wolves, lions, and bears that he had tamed. The legend has it that as the hunters dragged Blaise off to prison, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command, the child was able to cough up the bone and thus lived. Today we remember the saint on his feast day by taking two candles, crossing them against the throat, and saying the following prayer:
Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Readings of the Week
Sunday: Zep 2:3; 3:12-13/Ps 146:6c-7, 8-9a, 9b- 10/1 Cor 1:26-31/Mt 5:1- 12a
Monday: Mal 3:1-4/Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10/Heb 2:14-18/ Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32
Tuesday: 2 Sm 18:9-10, 146, 24-25a, 30-19:3/Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6/Mk 5:21-43
Wednesday: 2 Sm 24:2, 9-17/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7/Mk 6:1-6
Thursday: 1 Kgs 2:1-4, 10-12/1 Chr 29:10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd/Mk 6:7-13
Friday: Sir 47:2-11/Ps 18:31,47 and 50, 51/Mk 6:14-29
Saturday: 1 Kgs 3:4-13/Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14/Mk 6:30-34
Next Sunday: Is 58:7-10/Ps 112:4-5, 6-7, 8- 9/1 Cor 2:1-5/Mt 5:13-16
Celebrations of the Week
Sunday: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Thursday: Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Friday: Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Next Sunday: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
