Jesus' mother is blessed because she is first docile to the word of God.

Before He became man in the womb of Mary,

She conceived Him in her ears. Her capacity to listenand obey God’s word.

She is the hearer of the word par excellence.

 

Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Callistus I, pope & martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Joel 4:12-21

Rise up, O peoples,

And come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, nations. Bring a sickle for the harvest is ripe; come and tread for the wine press is full and the vats overflow, so great is their wickedness!

 

Multitudes and more multitudes in the Valley of Verdict! The day of Yahweh is near in the Valley of Verdict! The sun and the moon become dark, the stars lose their radiance. Yahweh roars from Zion and raises his voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth are shaken. Indeed Yahweh is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites. You will know that I am Yahweh, your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be a holy place, and foreigners will never pass through there again.

On that day the mountains shall drip wine and the hills flow with milk; all the streams of Judah will run with water and a fountain will spring from the House of Yahweh, and water the valley of Shittim.

 

On the other hand, Egypt will be devastated and Edom will become a deserted wasteland because they committed violence against Judah, and shed innocent blood in their country. But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem through all generations. And I shall avenge their blood and not leave it unpunished, for Yahweh dwells in Zion.

 

Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12 Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 11:27-28

As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, "Blessed is the one who gave you birth and nursed you!" Jesus replied, "Surely blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it as well."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Jesus is still present with us in Word and sacrament." 

Sometimes I am jealous of the people alive at the time of Jesus. Can you imagine being able to hear his preaching and witness his miracles? I like to think that I'd have been one of the faithful women who supported his ministry and followed him to the cross. But as today's Gospel shows, not even those alive at the time were immune from jealousy over closeness to Jesus. Some of these people who listened to Jesus preach were a bit jealous of Jesus' family, especially Mary, his mother.

Since we can't travel back in time, Jesus' response to the woman in the crowd should give us comfort. Those of us who believe in Christ now, who hear God's Word and keep it, are as blessed as those who knew Jesus during his earthly life, even those closest to him.

 

Jesus is still present with us, In Word and sacrament, especially in the Eucharist. He is present in our brothers and sisters, especially in the poor and vulnerable. Even more, he has sent his Holy Spirit among us, to help us understand and heed God's Word, to live in faith, hope, and love, and to discern God's presence with us.