Elizabeth proclaimed of Mary: "Blest are you among women and blest is the Fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42). Mary herself prophesied: "All ages to come shall call me blessed" (Lk 1:48). "While [Jesus] was saying this a woman from the crowd" confirmed Mary's prophecy (Lk 11:27). The woman called out: "Blest is the womb that bore You and the breasts that nursed You" (Lk 11:27). Jesus agreed that His mother was blessed, but not so much for motherhood as for hearing and observing God's Word (Lk 11:28). In that case, we too can be blessed.

You who read this book probably know the Church's teachings, especially the Bible. Because you have heard God's Word, you have the possibility of doing His Word and thereby being blessed. However, our natural tendency is toward passivity and inertia. We tend not to do God's Word. Nonetheless, the Lord is giving us His grace so that we will go beyond our natural tendency and supernaturally do, love, and share God's Word. Those are truly blessed who live in this supernatural dimension of grace to do His Word.

Be like Mary. Live in grace. Do God's Word. Be blessed now, always, and forever.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 11, 2019

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