Blessed Are You

Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Galatians 3:7-14

Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 111:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

 

 

Alleluia John 12:31b-32

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The prince of this world will now be cast out,
and when I am lifted up from the earth
I will draw all to myself, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 11:15-26

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
“By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

- - -

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Blessed Are You

October 10, 2026  // Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 11:27-28

Reflect on the Word // 

She cuddles into me, nuzzling my breast, relaxing against my stomach, the milk flowing into her little growing body. Awe, surprise, wonder overcome me yet again. Here she is—a baby born nearly eleven years after our last—living, breathing, existing in my arms. I find I am more able to give myself in love to her than I was with my other babies after the long years of seeking God’s will for my life and accepting whatever came my way with trust. I feel blessed to have the womb that carried her and breasts that nurse her. 

The woman in the crowd in today’s Gospel was not wrong that Jesus’ mother, Mary, was blessed in bearing her Son in her womb and nourishing Him at her breast (see Luke 11:27). But prior to her bearing Him as a Son, she was already blessed. Mary spent her whole life hearing the word of God and observing it, and that is what first made her blessed (see Luke 11:28; Luke 1:28, 38). She was given the gift of being the Mother of God because she was perfectly aligned to God’s will, united to Him with her whole heart, mind, strength, and soul.

Whether we have borne a child or not, God wants to bless us. He wants to fill us with grace to hear His word and do His will in our lives. As women, we are physically and spiritually oriented to caring for and nourishing the lives of others. That might look like caring for your own children or your ailing parent. It might be offering friendship to a co-worker, talking to that stranger at church, teaching a classroom full of children, or showing patience to a client. God created us to care for each other, to bring His love to each other. When we hear His word and do His will with His love for others in our hearts, we will find that our lives are full of His grace, just like His mother’s.

Relate to the Lord // What is one concrete way we can care for someone in our lives today? Ask for the wisdom to discern the need and provide the care that blesses them. 

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