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• In the First Reading, Zephaniah announces that the humble of the earth will find shelter on the Day of the Lord.
• The prophet Zephaniah preached at a time of great turmoil.
• This reading asserts that the humble and lowly are the hope for the future.

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• In 1 Corinthians, Paul tries to convince the Corinthians that their significance comes from God, and that their power is the power of the cross.
• The Corinthians, who accepted the Gospel eagerly, then began to try to outdo each other in importance, even in their Christian faith.
• Paul challenges the Christian community to rely, not on human power, but on God alone.

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• Today’s Gospel begins the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of Jesus’ sayings describing the qualities of his followers.
• The way righteousness is described in today’s reading is through a traditional Hebrew form called Beatitude. Beatitudes simply declare that someone is happy or blest.
• The list in Matthew’s Gospel is surprising, however. The poor and suffering were not ordinarily described as happy.