Word to the Wise
Saturday, October 12, 2013 - Saturday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Joel 4:12-21 and Luke 11:27-28]While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."
It would be easy to see the lady's exclamation as falling in the category of those that I have heard when I was a newly ordained priest: "Your mother must be very proud of you!" Or, one might be tempted to put Jesus' response in the same category as his response in Luke 8:19-21 in which he places fidelity to God's word above family kinship. Neither interpretation, however, takes into account the very strong affirmation of Mary that occurs in the "infancy narrative" - both in the story of the annunciation and in the Canticle of Mary.
Jesus' response to the woman is that Mary's greatness does not come only from the fact that she gave birth to him and cared for him as a child. That experience is hers alone. Rather, her greatness comes even more from being a disciple, which is also presented in the infancy narrative. She accepted God's Word and she pondered it in her heart. (Luke 2:19 and 2:51). Given the profound experience of giving birth and nursing a child, Jesus places discipleship even above that! For those who have "nurtured" faith by serving as sponsors in an RCIA program or played a role in the priestly or religious vocation of someone, the same would apply. What is more important is the discipleship of the other, not the supporting role (as important as that is!). It's a matter of perspective! AMEN