First reading Joel 4:12-21
The day of the Lord is near; sun and moon grow dark
The Lord says this:
‘Let the nations rouse themselves, let them march
to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for I am going to sit in judgement there
on all the nations round.
Put the sickle in:
the harvest is ripe;
come and tread:
the winepress is full,
the vats are overflowing,
so great is their wickedness!’
Host on host
in the Valley of Decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the Valley of Decision!
Sun and moon grow dark,
the stars lose their brilliance.
The Lord roars from Zion,
makes his voice heard from Jerusalem;
heaven and earth tremble.
But the Lord will be a shelter for his people,
a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
‘You will learn then that I am the Lord your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Jerusalem will be a holy place,
no alien will ever pass through it again.’
When that day comes,
the mountains will run with new wine
and the hills flow with milk,
and all the river beds of Judah
will run with water.
A fountain will spring from the house of the Lord
to water the wadi of Acacias.
Egypt will become a desolation,
Edom a desert waste
on account of the violence done to the sons of Judah
whose innocent blood they shed in their country.
But Judah will be inhabited for ever,
Jerusalem from age to age.
‘I will avenge their blood and let none go unpunished’,
and the Lord shall make his home in Zion.
Responsorial Psalm 96(97):1-2,5-6,11-12
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.
The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.
Light shines forth for the just
and joy for the upright of heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;
give glory to his holy name.
Gospel Luke 11:27-28
‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’
As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’
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Blessed are you
In today’s gospel, a woman was so impressed with what she heard from Jesus and complimented His mother for having the privilege of carrying Him and nursing Him. Jesus told her, “More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”. Jesus was not putting His mother down. He pointed out that her true blessedness came not from being his physical mother but from her receiving God’s word and putting it into practice. She was truly blessed because she had a personal relationship with God and found her deepest joy in hearing and obeying His word. Today, Jesus calls us to find our blessedness in listening and doing what God tells us.
Let us learn from Mother Mary what it means to hear, treasure and live according to God’s word. In this way, we can be truly blessed and happy like her.
Reflective question:
How can I allow God’s word to shape my life today?
How can I allow God’s word to shape my life today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
