FIRST READING
“You are all sons of God, through faith.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians (Galatians 3 :22-29)
Brethren: The Scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm105:2-3.4-5.6-7(R. 8a)
R/. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Or: Alleluia.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. R.
Turn to the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his marvels and his words of judgement. R.
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O descendants of the Jacob he chose,
he, the Lord, is our God;
his judgements are in all the earth. R.
ALLELUIA Luke 11:28
Alleluia. Blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Blessed is the womb that bore you! Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God.”
A reading from tire holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 11:27-28)
At that time: As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
As we come to the end of the week, our consciousness is drawn distinctions nor status distinctions in this great family of Jesus Christ. This teaching seems far from reality in the church and society today. Often we fall into the error of wanting to categorize people in our relationship with them. By so doing, we bring more lines of division rather than bonds of love. The basis of all that Jesus taught is love and the admiration of this prompted the woman in the gospel text to exclaim thus, “Blessed is the womb that bore you”. This also can be said of us when we respond positively to Jesus’ to the fact that we are all one in the love of Christ. Paul emphasizes this by stating that there are no tribal distinctions, gender teaching of love.