Rather, Blessed Are Those!

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Gal 3:22-29; Lk 11:27-28

Today’s Gospel highlights the importance of listening to God’s word. 

The unknown woman ascribes blessedness to Mary. 

But Jesus prizes the one who hears God’s word and observes it. 

Jesus’ statement does not belittle his mother because Mary was a faithful servant of the Lord, and her faithfulness was seen in the way she listened to God’s word and obeyed it faithfully all her life. 

This is the reason Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, called her ‘blessed among women.’ Now the unknown woman also refers to Mary as the blessed mother of Jesus. 

Though Jesus does not deny his mother’s blessedness, the one who is more blessed for Jesus is the one who listens to God’s word and acts on it. 

Here, Jesus crosses the family boundary to ascribe blessings to anyone who would be the hearer and doer of God’s word.

Jesus is God’s Word in person. When we listen to that Word, the animating effect of the Holy Spirit will transform our hearts and minds. Thus, those who listen to the Word are blessed with life in abundance. 

In sum, we discover our lives when we respond to the invitation given by God’s Word, Jesus. 

The words of Jesus are all that we need. 

Let us pray that we may faithfully observe the life-giving words of Jesus to discover our lives in all newness. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar