January 29, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary
First Readings: Zephaniah 2: 3; Zephaniah 3: 12-13; Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a
Zephaniah promises the exiles of Israel that they will again find peace and contentment because of the Lord’s faithfulness. Paul reminds his readers that God does not choose only the wise and the powerful. Instead, he chooses the weak and the poor, giving them strength and wisdom in Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount by teaching that those considered less fortunate in the eyes of the world will be blessed immeasurably by God.
Our God is a God of surprises. Time and again Scripture makes it clear that God judges by standards very different than those of the world. As the prophet Isaiah taught, God’s ways are not our ways.
In our celebrity-driven culture, people seek fame, wealth, and power. People strive for and celebrate momentary notoriety as viral sensations. Those who fail to meet the world’s standards are ignored, despised, or blamed for their situations.
But Jesus teaches a different way. He raises up those who are humble, poor, in mourning, and persecuted, promising that they will find joy in God.
Loving God, please help me to see the world and its people through your eyes.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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