Our Great Journey

Our weekly post offers prayer resources, a glimpse of the upcoming Sunday Gospel with short commentary, discussion/reflection questions and suggestions for living the Gospel.

This week our theme is “Blessed are they…” based on Matthew 5:1-12:/ Mateo 5:1-12

We gather together at Church on February 1. We will present Empowering God’s Children to K-12 during all sessions. February 3rd & 4th are at home sessions. Our next gathering at Church is the week of February 22.

Opening Prayer:

Lord our God, just as the rain comes down to water the earth and make it fruitful, so you send forth your word to do your will in the world. May this wisdom from heaven take root in our hearts and bear fruit in holy words and loving deeds. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

In addition to our prayers from the heart, our prayer for February is the The Memorare. Please pray this prayer daily to learn.

Using the Bible, invite a family member to read the Gospel aloud.

Things to talk about:

When Jesus uses the word Blessed it means “happy.” Define true happiness.
Describe the qualities of a perfect person. How do they act?
Who in your life is a great example of one of the Beatitudes?
Are we dependent on God for everything we need? How?
Which Beatitude do you think is the hardest to live?

Things to do:

An Attitude of being like Jesus: Give each family member a slip of paper with one of the following: Today I will look to show mercy or comfort to…. · Today I will be humble about… Today I will try to make peace with… · Today I will do this to help the poor… Today when someone calls me a name or treats me badly I will… After completing, fold and write name on outside, put them in a jar . After the week is finished, ask each person to share how it went!
Complete the Blessed are the poor in spirit crossword puzzle. Download HERE.
Presentation of the Lord– On February 2, we celebrate Jesus being presented in the temple as prescribed by Jewish custom. Read Luke 2:22-40. Reflect on Simeon and Anna and their ability to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. We also celebrate Candlemas on February 2. Have a candlelit dinner.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, Make me poor in spirit, so I can receive the kingdom of heaven. When I mourn, help me find comfort. Make me meek, so that I may inherit the land. Help me to hunger and thirst for righteousness, so I may be satisfied. Make me merciful, so I may obtain your mercy. Make me pure of heart, so I may see you. Help me to make peace, so I may be called your child. When I am persecuted for righteousness’ sake, show me your kingdom. Amen.

Name those who need our prayers. Close with the Sign of the Cross.

Catholic Insight

This same Gospel is proclaimed on the Solemnity of All Saints Day. It is the perfect Scripture because to become a saint, a person must have some of these qualities. Jesus offers 8 ways to reach deep happiness and find the joy in living. At first reading, we see words like poor, mourn, hunger and wonder where the happiness is in those states of being. But Jesus is inviting us to go deep into our hearts and embrace what we find there. He asks us to see the world from that place, with new eyes, and to hope in God.

This Gospel is one of reversals. Jesus’ blueprint for happiness reflects little of what the world might call happiness. Our vocation as Christians is not to be first in this world, but rather to be first in the eyes of God. By referring to the good things that the faithful will experience, Matthew reminds us that those who act in the manner described in the Beatitudes will find their reward with God.

Be-Attitudes—Jesus is telling us how God wants human beings to be and to act!

Additional key concepts for this week:

Beatitudes– The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that The Beatitudes “are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulation.”

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10), Jesus gave us eight blessings that describe the path to true happiness and fulfillment in God’s Kingdom, focusing on qualities like poverty in spirit, mercy, meekness, and peacemaking, serving as a guide for Christian living, defining the qualities of disciples, and fulfilling Old Testament promises. They teach virtues that contrast with worldly values, promising divine blessings like comfort, inheritance of the earth, and seeing God. The Beatitudes inspire us to adopt a vision for our lives, namely, the vision of Jesus Christ.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Resources adapted from 52Sundays.com, Celebrating the Lectionary, At Home with the Word, Celebrating Families, Sunday Connection

February 1, 2026 – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time