Joel 4:12-21
Luke 11:27-28
Cardinal John Henry Newman once said; Who is the flower but our Blessed Lord? Who is the beautiful stalk
or stem or plant out of which the flower grows but Mary, Mother of our Lord, Mary, Mother of God? In today’s gospel, while Jesus was speaking to the crowd, a woman suddenly burst out with a cry of admiration, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” immediately Jesus replied, “Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.”
Christ immediately affirms the ardent obedience of Mary to the will of God, aptly seen in the first response of Mary to the Archangel Gabriel ; Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word (Lk. 1: 38).
No doubt, one would also recall the Visitation and great encounter of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth cried out, “Blessed are you among women…how come should I be visited by the mother of my Lord…Blessed are you who believed* that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Luke 1:42-45.
We also cannot help but think of our Hail Mary prayer in general when Jesus asks us to “hear the word of God and observe it” rather than dwell on the praise of saying, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” How many times have we repeated, “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”? Providentially, we immediately repeat “Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.” Is it possible that the ecclesiastical authors of the final draft of that prayer knew we needed Mary’s intercession to pressure us to observe God’s word?
Every believer understands that, knowing God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength. That means that knowing God must necessarily lead to loving Him and obeying His word. Keeping God” ‘s word demands that we must avoid sin; for sin divides us from God and ruptures our relationship with our neighbor. Keeping Jesus’ commandment of love also entails; humility and steadfastness, charity and obedience, total commitment and selfless sacrifice, detachment and daily conversion, perseverance and faithfulness, and much more. The question is, can we truly offer ourselves to Jesus and surrender totally to him? Are you a doer of the word of God or a forgetful hearer only? Do you keep God’s word and do them according to His will?
We need to know that, If we believe in Jesus will live and if we fail to believe in Him we are condemned. If we accept him we have eternal life if we reject him we refuse eternal life. Christ is the true light and the light of the world, anyone who refuses his light will remain in darkness. As Christians, therefore, we must choose the fundamental option of being on the Lord’s side because the day of the lord is much closer to us now than the time of Joel. “The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever”. Isaiah 40: 8. Today and every day, believe, accept, and obey the Word of God.
May God’s blessings in his Word be upon your household in Jesus’ name. May your effort in keeping to the way and the ordinances of the Lord make you truly wise and positively unique among your equals. May God bring upon you his peace, mercy, protection, and success as you set out to do your daily task. May Our Mother, the Cause of Our Joy continue to help us in doing God’s will. Amen.
Fr Joseph Osho
