The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, October 8, 2005
Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Joel 4:12-21
Psalm:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
Luke 11:27-28

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

How sincerely and simply that unknown woman raised her voice to praise the mother of Jesus. I'm sure, from heaven, that Mary has become close to her! And I'm sure that Mary in no way resented the response of her Son--for Mary's whole life was a meditation on the words of the the Angel Gabriel, and a living out of the plans of Providence. Indeed, blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it!

With our work ethic, we are so intent on measuring success in terms of action, while God measures success in terms of faith, hope and love. It is far more important for God to see the intentions of our hearts, and to measure the value of our service in terms of His own unconditional love for us. Without in any way diminishing the greatness of His mother, He greatly increases it by identifying the source of its power--doing always the Will of the Father, even when it seemed contradictory to one's choicest vows--in Mary's case, that of virginity. And God blessed her for her blind trust--and graced her with both virginity and motherhood.

If only we could saturate our hearts with the Word of God, putting his Will before our own plans and ambitions, then we too would be blessed beyond measure with the praise of Jesus and the reward of God the Father.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins@frontiernet.net)