Reflection for February 1, 2026

​Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12–13 | Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 | 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 | Matthew 5:1-12

​On this Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we’re invited to reflect on humility—accepting God’s lordship in our lives, discovering strength even in our weaknesses, and learning to love in a way that goes beyond doing just the bare minimum.

​In Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, the Basilica of the Nativity has a very low entrance called the Door of Humility. Long ago, this doorway was intentionally made small to stop kings, princes, and conquerors from riding their horses straight into the church. To enter, even royalty had to get off their horses, lower their heads, and bow down. No one could walk in proudly or stand tall—everyone had to stoop. That doorway quietly teaches a powerful lesson. You cannot come before Christ with arrogance or a sense of importance. Whether rich or poor, powerful or ordinary, everyone must enter the same way: humbled. The place where the King of Kings was born reminds us that God meets us not in pride, but in humility. To truly encounter Jesus, we must lower ourselves, let go of status, and bow our hearts before Him.

Kababaang-loob is part of the Christian journey, and humility should guide everything we do and say. So what can we take from today’s reading? Maybe it’s a gentle but firm reminder from God that He truly is Lord of all. These days, it’s easy for society to reshape God according to personal preferences, forgetting that we are the ones made in His image—not the other way around. Accepting the truth that we are created in God’s image and likeness takes humility. It takes humility to admit that God is Lord of our lives. It takes even more humility to surrender our will to His, especially when He’s asking us to change our habits, our thinking, or even our hearts. Yes, God loves us just the way we are—but He loves us too much to leave us that way. We are called to be holy as God is holy, and that’s not something we can do on our own. We need God’s grace. And accepting help—from anyone, including God—is already an act of humility. So don’t let pride get in the way of becoming the saint God created you to be. Those who humble themselves before the Lord, who seek justice and live with humility, will always find shelter in Him.

Today, SM Supermalls are among the Philippines’ biggest economic drivers, creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and serving millions of shoppers. But this empire began humbly. After World War II, Henry Sy dreamed of selling shoes in Manila. He went to different stores, boutiques, and shops, asking if he could set up his shoe racks there. But one after another, they all said no. Some told him he didn’t have enough experience; others doubted a small entrepreneur could succeed. Undeterred, he opened a small shop called ShoeMart in Quiapo in 1958. His honesty and hard work earned the trust of customers. Behind Henry’s success was also his wife, Felisa , whose deep faith and trust in God guided the family through every challenge. Her prayers, encouragement, and unwavering belief that God would provide gave Henry the courage to persevere. From that tiny stall, the Sy family built department stores, supermarkets, banks, condominiums, and SM Supermalls, a testament that humility, hard work, and faith in God can turn small beginnings into mighty triumphs.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul calls out the Christians in Corinth for still being full of pride and thinking they were better than everyone else. He makes it clear that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room or come from a high-status background to be saved. In fact, Paul says God actually loves choosing ordinary people to challenge and humble those who think they have it all figured out (v. 27). God even chooses those who seem weak—whether that’s lacking power or influence, struggling with self-confidence, or even feeling shaky in their faith—to expose the emptiness of those who brag about their strength or importance. And why does God work this way? Because He doesn’t want us puffed up with pride. He wants us to take pride not in ourselves, but in what He has done for us through Christ Jesus, His Son.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot and nearly killed by a man named Mehmet Ali Ağca. The world expected anger, revenge, or fear—but not mercy. Less than two years later, the Pope visited Ağca in prison. He spoke to him quietly, extended his hand, and offered forgiveness. Ağca was stunned. He had expected condemnation, but instead he found love. That moment showed the power of mercy and humility, the living example of the Beatitudes: to bless, to forgive, to comfort, and to seek peace.
Pope John Paul II didn’t just preach these values, he lived them.

The Gospel shows us who the saints really are. But what does it actually mean to be holy? And how do we live a holy life? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it clear that holiness means going beyond the bare minimum. He didn’t come just to remind us of the Law, but to teach us how to move past the minimum requirements and respond to others with genuine love. Real love for God and for our neighbor starts in the heart. Its value doesn’t come from outward actions alone, but from what’s going on inside us. Jesus invites us to be mabuti (hesed) and not just mabait (parush). For example, if you don’t physically harm your neighbor, you’re mabait. But if you actively work for peace and reconciliation, then you’re mabuti. If a husband doesn’t cheat on his wife, he’s mabait. But if he makes the effort to say “I love you” or asks, “How was your day?”—that’s being mabuti.

The same goes for parenting. If we let our children get away with cursing because we don’t want to upset them, we’re being mabait. But if we correct them and help them understand why what they did was wrong, even when it’s uncomfortable, that’s being mabuti. Jesus isn’t satisfied with simple rule-following. He’s looking for something deeper—a heart motivated by love, a life that cares, gives, and serves generously, both toward others and toward our Father in heaven. That’s the real path to holiness. Jesus reminds us that following the “letter of the Law” is about external actions, but living the “spirit of the Law” demands more than that—it demands a transformed heart. Ang nagbabait-baitan, mapupunta sa langit-langitan. Fake holiness leads to a fake heaven. So the real question is this: do we just follow rules, or do we choose to live with love and concern for others? Today, the Church reminds us that our history is filled with people who truly lived the Beatitudes. They are living proof that choosing to be mabuti, not just mabait, leads to a kind of joy that nothing else can compare to.

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