Illustration: James Tissot, The Beatitudes Sermon, c. 1890, Brooklyn Museum
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026
St Peter’s Square – Sunday, 1st February 2026
“On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone”.
Gospel for 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.‘Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.‘Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.‘Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.‘Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.‘Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.‘Blessed those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.‘Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today’s liturgy proclaims the beautiful Gospel of the Beatitudes, which Jesus announced to all humanity.
These are lights that the Lord kindles in the darkness of history, revealing the Father’s plan of salvation accomplished through the Son with the power of the Holy Spirit.
On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone.
It is a law that renews our lives and makes them good,
even when the world seems to have failed us and is full of misery.
Only God can truly call the poor and afflicted truly blessed (vv.3-4), because he is the highest good and gives himself to all with infinite love.
God alone can satisfy those who seek peace and justice (vv. 6.9), because he is the just judge of the world and the author of eternal peace.
Only in God do the meek, the merciful and the pure of heart find joy (vv.5.7-8), because he fulfills their expectations.
In persecution, God is the source of redemption; and in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth.
Therefore, Jesus proclaims: “Rejoice and be glad!” (v 12).
For those who believe that God is different from how Christ reveals him, these Beatitudes remain a paradox.
Those who expect the arrogant to always rule the earth are surprised by the Lord’s words.
Those accustomed to thinking that happiness belongs to the rich might consider Jesus is deluded.
However, the delusion lies in the lack of faith in Christ.
Jesus is the poor man who shares his life with everyone, the meek man who perseveres through suffering, and the peacemaker who is persecuted to death on the cross.
In this way, Jesus illuminates the meaning of history.
Rather than being written by conquerors, it is written by God, who accomplishes this by saving the oppressed.
The Son looks at the world through the Father’s love.
As Pope Francis said, “Jesus’ Beatitudes are a decisive message that urges us not to place our trust in material and fleeting things or seek happiness by following smoke vendors — who are experts in illusion. We should not follow them because they are unable to give us hope”.
God gives this hope primarily to those whom the world dismisses as hopeless.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, the Beatitudes become for us a measure of our happiness
They lead us to ask whether we consider happiness an achievement to be bought or a gift to be shared. They lead us to ask whether we find happiness in objects that are consumed or in relationships that accompany us.
It is in fact because of Christ and thanks to him that the bitterness of trials is transformed into the joy of the redeemed.
Jesus does not speak of a distant consolation, but of a constant grace that always sustains us, especially in times of affliction.
The Beatitudes exalt the humble and humble the proud in their innermost thoughts
(Luke 1:51 – He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,).
Therefore, we ask for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the Lord’s servant, whom all generations call blessed
