Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sr. Denise Curry, SNDdeN February 1, 2026 Matthew 5: 1-12 The element of surprise. Ordinarily we don’t think of those who hunger and thirst as being satiated. We don’t think of the Kingdom of Heaven being handed over to the persecuted. Though not all surprises are welcome, these in today’s Gospel are wonderful. Life is truly exciting and unpredictable. The Kingdom of Heaven! Inheriting the land! Comfort! Satisfaction! But that’s if you focus on the rewards. Focusing on the mourners, the meek and even the clean of heart, the world despises them. They are considered absurd, a remnant only, not well-born, of no account. But, Jesus says, they will shame the wise and the powerful. What does it mean to be a mourner, meek, and clean of heart in real life today? It must feel like being a Palestinian or an immigrant. They are abused, displaced, denied basic rights and treated with contempt. – with no end in sight. With-no-end-in-sight. It seems they will be waiting a long time for days of glory. Can we hasten the day when they will be relieved of and rewarded for their suffering? Can we surprise the oppressor […]