Happier are those who hear the word of God and keep it
The woman in today's gospel heard Jesus speak and thought about his mother. She was perhaps a mother herself and she knew what it means for a mother to bear a son of whom she is proud, whether this was a reality in her own life or a dream.
Blessed indeed was the mother of Jesus; more blessed than the woman in the gospel could imagine. Of her the angel heard said: "you most blessed among all women (Luke 1:42)." Mary herself, filled with the Holy Spirit, had proclaimed: "from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). This is what we recite every time we pray the Hail Mary.
Yet there was an aspect of Mary's calling which no mother would wish for herself. She would watch the growing opposition, hatred, and persecution of her Son until he would be executed before her own eyes. She would watch as the nails in his flesh drained out his life, while his enemies stood around and jeered at him. In all this she would not hate, or curse, but, together with her Son, forgive and intercede all because she listened to the word of God and put it into practice.
In answer to the woman who praised his mother, Jesus said that more blessed are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice. Like Mary but in a lesser degree, we too are blessed. She was born without original sin; we have our sin wiped away in baptism. She lived without sin; we have ours forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are made into children of God by God's gratuitous gift. But we are even more blessed if we have the courage to add merit to God's gift, by listening to his word and putting it into practice, no matter what it costs.
Hearing the word of God and putting it into practice does not come easy to anyone. It must be preceded by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul argues in the first reading that we are not justified by keeping the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. He says: “through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Apart from Jesus we can do nothing (cf John 15:5), but with God through Jesus, what is impossible humanly speaking becomes possible (Matthew 19:26).
