By Fr. Sheldon Tabile, O.Carm.

Day 7

July 13

Mary, The Humble Servant of God

Gospel Reading: Blessed are the breasts you sucked (Lk 11: 27-28)

While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Points for Reflection

What does it mean to be blessed? It is not to possess all the things we want. But it is in hearing the word of God and observing it.
To hear the word of God means to trust Him in our lives. As the psalmist said, “Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.” The unhardened hearts are the ones who welcome God in their hearts.
Blessedness is to realize in our hearts that God is there. Our heart no longer beats its own, but it beats the love of God.

Fr. Sheldon is Assistant Parish Priest of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. He is currently a Fellow at the Titus Brandsma Institute in Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.