GOSPEL, Luke (11: 27-28)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
True Blessedness
27 While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
This Gospel passage (Luke 11:28) documents the best of Jesus’ praises to his Mother: Happy (…) are those who hear the Word of God and put it into practice (Luke 11:28).
Jesus Christ does not reject the passionate praise of that simple woman, he accepts it, but the happiness of Our Lady goes further, explaining that, Mary Most Holy is happy to have been good and faithful in the fulfilment of the Word of God.
Jesus repeated the words in his teachings: Happy…. Happy are the poor, the meek, those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, and those who have not seen, and have believed! ( Matthew 5: 3-12; John 20: 29).
The God of Jesus Christ came to give us happiness (John 10, 10) even in this world, but it is not found in wealth, power and fame but in the humble love of Him, in which everything awaits.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is not only fortunate to have brought him into the world, to have nursed and raised him; but above all, for listening to the Word and for putting it into practice: for having loved and for letting herself to be loved by her Son Jesus.
Jesus offers me here and now, true happiness!
Mary’s full happiness was born from listening to the Lord and in her most humble acceptance when she replies, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word.”
What kind of happiness am I looking for? The superficial one, which comes from satisfying immediate needs or the deeper one, which gives meaning to everything else?
PRAYER
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Your Word is my inheritance forever, because it is my heart that rejoices! ” (Psalms 118,105,111). Amen.