8 Oct 2022 – Saturday of Week 27

8 Oct 2022 – Saturday of Week 27

1st Reading: Galatians 3:22-29

In Christ, all the baptized are equally children of God

The scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Responsorial: from Psalm 105

R./: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever

O sing to the Lord, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
Be proud of his holy name,
let the hearts that see the Lord rejoice. (R./)

Consider the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgements he spoke. (R./)

O children of Abraham, his servant,
O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God:
his judgements prevail in all the earth. (R./)

Gospel: Luke 11:27-28

Most blessed is the one who hears God’s word and keeps it

While Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!”; But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

The Word that unites

St Paul tells how the privileges of Israel, God’s special people, are now extended to the world. Through the Gospel, all believers “are one in Christ Jesus.”

In Galatians the sword of God’s word penetrates to the heart of things, striking down all class distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female. All who are baptized into Christ “have clothed yourselves with him.” Baptism calls us to rise above former tribalism, racism or sexism, in order to really become “one in Christ Jesus.”

No one can avoid the sharp sword of God’s word, not even Jesus’ own mother. Her special bond with Jesus did not end with giving him birth and nurturing him at her breast. She too must listen to God’s through him word and act according to the Word.

St Luke shows Mary in that light, as one who treasures God’s word and reflects on them in her heart (Luke 2:19). We too must listen to God’s word and act on it with confidence, in union with our faith-family across the world, who are also our brothers and sisters.

The shortest gospel

Today we have the shortest gospel in the Lectionary, just two verses long. The brief exchange between Jesus and a woman is intriguing. A woman in the audience was so taken by his teaching that she spontaneously shouted out a blessing on Jesus’ mother. She declared Mary blessed because for being the mother of this prophet and healer, Jesus. While our Lord held his mother the highest regard, he expands the blessing to a much wider group. “Even more blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it,” he says.

In that wider group, Jesus’ mother played a prominent part. More than anyone, Mary heard the word of God and kept it. Her mindset was always, “Let it be to me according to your word.” If the mother of Jesus is blessed, it is not merely in her physical motherhood but because she devoted herself to hearing and doing God’s word. If we can do likewise, we will share in that lovely blessing.