Saturday, October 12, 2002
27th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Gal 3:22-29
Gospel:
Lk 11:27-28
As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, "Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!" Jesus replied, "Surely blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it as well."
Commentary
After the malign accusation of yesterday, the praise of Jesus today by an unknown woman for his maternal origins is a welcome respite. Only a woman can utter such praises of the nurturing and enduring care of another woman.
The maternal security, which such love bestowed on the gestating and infant Jesus despite all the hassles of his virginal conception and birth, was among what gave the human Jesus the guts to stand the insults and threats against him in his proclamation of the word on God's reign. Indeed, Jesus recognized the blessedness not only of his mother but also of all those who continuously listen to the word of God, ponder it in their hearts, and keep it, bearing fruits of penance - the true worship of God through a tender care for others, especially the poor and the afflicted - a trait completely alien to the macho attitude of his enemies. Truly how much our society and church need to recover the feminist principle to render us more sane and sound in our being and relations!