Reflection on Today’s Gospel – Lk 11:27-28
The context in which the woman exclaimed: " Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed " is important. The Lord Jesus has just met the absurd and perverse accusations that he is acting under the power of Beelzebub. This situation did not disturb this woman's faith in Jesus. She even felt the need to manifest her faith to the crowd in the face of the absurdity of these accusations.
She did it in a very feminine way: "How happy and how blessed must be the mother of this good and holy Master of Nazareth!" Yes - replies the Lord Jesus - but He came to make happy all those who want to be truly happy: "blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it ".
In the first place, this blessing, of course, applies to Mary. She leads the way among those who listen to and obey God's word. After all, her motherhood began with the obedience of faith. In his Gospel, St. Luke even contrasted the meanness of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, with Mary's unconditional faith and obedience in their responses to the angel Gabriel's message. Thus, St. Elizabeth could exclaim to Mary: " Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled".( cf. Lk 1:45) Later, at the end of the story of the 12-year-old Jesus being found in the Temple, we read that " And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (cf. Lk 2:19)
The point is, however, that the blessing that came on Mary through Jesus is only the beginning of that blessing poured out by Jesus Christ on all mankind: " blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it!" Obedience to God's word and opening ourselves to the Personal Word of the Eternal Father, that is, to Jesus Christ, frees us from our sins and restores the original beauty and meaning of our humanity, and in general leads us on the path to eternal life.
Therefore, let us wish one another that these words of the Lord Jesus also apply to us: "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
Until Tomorrow
fr. george