Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

This one is for my mother. She asked me if I would write one that was more…personal—one that drew upon my life’s experience. Out of love for her, I suppose I’ll try. This past week I’ve tried enough to make an exposé of St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians or explain the meaning of the Kingdom of God. But I’m no scripture scholar—I just get excited about the rich history and deep theology of the Scriptures and want to help others get excited too. Ah! That’s what that means!

So, I’ll try to make this one a reflection of me in the mirror of the Scriptures. Yet, I find myself wanting to look beneath the surface. I have to look deeper. Many of the first things that come to mind as I read the Scriptures are not worth pondering. A lot of them are just knee-jerk reactions and free associations—things that really have nothing to do with the sacred text. And this is the work of lectio divina. I prefer to study the text first and understand what it meant to its first audience long ago before I start reflecting on what it means to me in this modern day. That there is a huge gap cannot be dismissed lightly; however, if the word of God has persisted to this day, then it must still hold relevance.

Take the Gospel, for example. It is rather short today. Only two lines of exchange. One principle of hermeneutics is that interpretation occurs inevitably and simultaneously while reading. So, this is my interpretation: A woman dotes on Jesus by praising his mother Mary. Jesus deflects and redirects. So, who is blessed? The woman says Mary is. Jesus says, righteous people. Who is correct? Both! Jesus is just pointing to something greater.

I see two common traits that could bridge the gap between then and now: that of a mother-son relationship and the love between them. Perhaps not the same capacity of love, but still present.

So, what does this Gospel mean to me? When someone gives me a compliment on my singing voice, I say thank you, but really, I want to say, ‘May God be praised.’ My life as a monk should point to a life beyond this one and say, ‘Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’

Thanks, Mom.

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB