The call to be Blessed

WORD 2day: Saturday, 27th week in Ordinary time

October 12, 2019: Joel 4: 12-21; Luke 11: 27-28

"To hear the word of God and keep it," invites the Liturgy. Today, with the Synod of the Pan-Amazonian Bishops underway, there are so many within and outside the Church, raising doubts and criticism against a lot of issues. Holy Father Pope Francis is being, at times even unduly, criticised from various sides... the anti-religious or anti-Catholic media is making the most of the time. There are some journals and dailies that are constantly spewing calumny and mongering lies, spreading false rumours in the name of interpretations which make things difficult for the ordinary faithful and worse still for those who are weak and already in crisis.

The times are bad - this would be true to say any day! Because, at all times in history there have been people who wished to have their way, capable of raking up issues that were really not there, create confusions and in those moments achieve their ends of dividing and impoverishing humanity. Are we going to give in to their wiles? Or are we, amidst all confusions, remain firm in that unwavering foundation of what God wants from us: the Word from the Lord? It is here that the theme of the day speaks so clearly to us: hear the word of God and keep it.

'Henceforth all generations will call me blessed', sang Mary when she heard the Word of God and said 'yes' to it. And Jesus reiterated it, that Mary was 'Blessed' not merely for having borne him physically and nursed him, but more for having heard the Word of God and unconditionally submitted herself to it. And thus Jesus opens the invitation to all - it is possible for anyone, just like Mary, to become 'Blessed'. All that you need to do, to be blessed is: hear the Word of God and keep it.