Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 466

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."



Scripture scholars trace a growing appreciation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in the history of the four gospels. Saint Mark's gospel has no infancy narrative and Mary appears only as one of his family. Because Mark accentuates the isolation of Jesus, the Lord appears abandoned by his disciples, his fans, the civil and religious authorities, his family and his God.
Saint Matthew gives us an infancy narrative but the principle person, besides Jesus, is Saint Joseph. Mary appears only as the virgin mother of the infant.
The Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint John the Evangelist, written later than Mark and Matthew, demonstrate more appreciation and affection for Mary. In Luke's Gospel, she receives the Angel Gabriel's unexpected visit and graciously declares her willingness to do whatever God wants. In Saint John's Gospel, she appears at the beginning and the end of Jesus' ministry. She alone seems to understand who he is and what he must do. Like the Maccabean mother of seven martyred sons, Mary silently supports his supreme sacrifice on the cross. When he breathes his last, she and the Beloved Disciple receives his Spirit. As Mother and Son, they are the Church which is born from the side of the new Adam.
The Church's appreciation and affection for Mary has continued to grow throughout the centuries. She is remembered as the first to hear the Gospel and the most faithful disciple. Surviving Jesus, she was present in the Cenacle when the Holy Spirit charged the disciples and sent them into the streets of Jerusalem. They obviously held her in high esteem, although we hear no more of her in the Acts of the Apostles or the Letters.

The story is told that in Nicea, as the bishops hammered out the doctrine of Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God who is fully God and fully human, skeptics complained, "That would make Mary the Mother of God!" 
"That's right!" the inspired Bishops replied. "She is theotokos!" Nicea erupted in joy; they were dancing in the streets as the bells sounded God's decision.

Throughout the centuries the Church has continued to reflect on Mary. As the medieval ages discovered a fascination with romantic love between men and women, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux wrote delightful reflections on her, and urged his readers to pray to her. 

Saint Francis of Assisi also delighted in his love of Mary. He felt her presence intensely in Our Lady of the Angels chapel at the Portiuncula and urged his disciples, men and women, to live simply and poorly as she had lived. Francis made a great contribution to our appreciation of Mary with his daily address to her:

Holy Virgin Mary, There is no one like you born in the world among women, Daughter and handmaid of the most high, Sovereign king, the Heavenly Father;Mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ;Spouse of the Holy Spirit.Pray for us with Saint Michael the archangel, And with all the powers of the heavens and with all the saints together with your most holy beloved son Lord and Teacher.  

Francis made no claims to scholarship or originality but he was apparently the first to address Mary as Daughter, Mother, and Spouse of God, placing her squarely within the intimate life of the Holy Trinity. With that amazing expression he describes the personal relationship every Christian has with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We experience that intense covenant as the Holy Spirit draws us to worship in the Mass, and as we offer an oblation of God's Son to God the Father. 

We approach it also as we venerate the Mother of God. Friendship with Mary -- our Mother, Sister, and Daughter -- is one of the greatest privileges and pleasures of our faith. This daughter and handmaid of the Most High inspires us with her Spirit as she leads us to her Son. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it as she did.