Dedication of Basilica of St. Mary Major (August 5, 2021)
Daily Readings: Revelation 21:1-5a & Luke 11:27-28
In today's Gospel (Luke 11: 27 – 28), we find the blessedness of Mary being highlighted by a woman and by Jesus.
In saying that "blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it," Jesus referred to His Mother and others. Mary is indeed the mother of our Savior. She is blessed not so much on account of her blood relationship to Jesus but because of her acceptance of the Word of God and submission to it in her daily life encounters.
She remained faithful to God till the end of her life and fulfilled God's plan for her in ordinary ways of life. Despite all the odds, she never wavered in her desire to manifest the Will of God in her life. She had to pass through difficult times, which tested her faith and confidence in God. Her troubles started from the beginning of her vocation to be Mother of the Savior.
The Gospels narrate to us that when Jesus was rejected, condemned, persecuted, and finally nailed on the cross, Mary remained close to Him by being faithful to God. Yes, she is blessed for the role she played, the mother of our Savior who redeemed the world.
Just by being a Christian, one is not going to be blessed, but blessing comes when a person lives his/her life in line with the plan of God for the redemption of humankind, despite one's adverse situations. Mary is a model for each of us to imitate and imbibe her qualities in our lives.
Let us be ready to surrender our whole life to God, as Mary did, for the redemption of humankind. Fr. Joseph Cardozo SJ / Contributor
About the Author
Fr. Joseph Cardozo is a Jesuit priest pursuing a doctorate in Ignatian Spirituality at Jana Deepa Pontifical Institute, Pune, India. Fr. Cardozo has a master's degree in pastoral studies from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, and a master's in theology at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Fr. Cardozo studied in the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, USA.
