Daily Gospel Reflection for October 11, 2014

Today's Gospel: Luke 11: 27-28
Sometimes less is more. The Church in her wisdom gives us a gospel verse today that is two lines.  As moms we might take some offense. A woman calls out that Jesus' mother is blessed and he answers that those who hear the word of God are blessed. Is the Mother of God not blessed? We already know from Scripture that she is. At the Visitation, she says to Elizabeth in her Magnificat, “All generations will call me blessed.”

So maybe the question is one of precedence. Those who hear the Word of God and keep it are blessed. Who hears and keeps the Word of God more fully than Mary?  It is because she heard the Word of God from the angel, and kept it in her heart, that she conceived and bore Him in her womb and nursed Him at her breast.

And what about us? We bear Him in our bodies too, at every Mass and Eucharistic Communion. But in order to fully receive grace, we must first dispose our hearts. We hear His Word in Scripture, and pray for openness of heart to receive Him. And even then we must ask for the grace to be healed in Holy Confession, and in our cry right before we receive Him, “Oh Lord I am not worthy....but only say the Word....and my soul shall be healed.” Only let me hear the Word of God and keep it.

“Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!”

Ponder:

How can we more fully hear the Word of God?

Pray:

Loving Mary, we ask for your intercession to be healed, so that we might conceive and receive the Word of God in our hearts like you did, and so be blessed!

Copyright 2014 Judith Costello