20251011 LIVING A BLESSED LIFE
11 October 2025, Saturday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Joel 4:12-21 |
The day of the Lord is near; sun and moon grow dark
The Lord says this:
‘Let the nations rouse themselves, let them march
to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for I am going to sit in judgement there
on all the nations round.
Put the sickle in:
the harvest is ripe;
come and tread:
the winepress is full,
the vats are overflowing,
so great is their wickedness!’
Host on host
in the Valley of Decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the Valley of Decision!
Sun and moon grow dark,
the stars lose their brilliance.
The Lord roars from Zion,
makes his voice heard from Jerusalem;
heaven and earth tremble.
But the Lord will be a shelter for his people,
a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
‘You will learn then that I am the Lord your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Jerusalem will be a holy place,
no alien will ever pass through it again.’
When that day comes,
the mountains will run with new wine
and the hills flow with milk,
and all the river beds of Judah
will run with water.
A fountain will spring from the house of the Lord
to water the wadi of Acacias.
Egypt will become a desolation,
Edom a desert waste
on account of the violence done to the sons of Judah
whose innocent blood they shed in their country.
But Judah will be inhabited for ever,
Jerusalem from age to age.
‘I will avenge their blood and let none go unpunished’,
and the Lord shall make his home in Zion.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 96(97):1-2,5-6,11-12 |
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
Light shines forth for the just
and joy for the upright of heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;
give glory to his holy name.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:23 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
Or: | Lk11:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those
who hear the word of God
and keep it.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 11:27-28 |
'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!'
As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’
LIVING A BLESSED LIFE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Jl 4:12-21; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Lk 11:27-28 ]
The Scripture readings present to us what a blessed life is all about. So, what is a blessed life? A blessed life is not measured by how long we live. A long life does not necessarily equate to a blessed one. Jesus died at the age of 33. Many saints also died young. So, blessedness is not synonymous with the length of one’s life. Neither is blessedness seen in terms of worldly success, glory, fame, power, or wealth. Those who are successful in the eyes of the world often live miserable lives–fearing the loss of popularity, power, and riches. They are surrounded by enemies and competitors and live in constant fear and anxiety. Nor is a blessed life measured by luxury, comfort, or worldly pleasures. There is nothing more pitiable than being like a parrot in a golden cage. Material things and enjoyment may satisfy the body, but they cannot give us true life, love, or joy. In fact, pleasure has a saturation point–once reached, returns diminish, much like with eating and drinking. To stay alive and healthy, we must watch our diet!
This is precisely what Jesus opposes in today’s Gospel. “When a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!'” Jesus replied, “Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!” In saying this, Jesus was challenging the prevailing values of His time. Happiness is not based primarily on our ancestry or descendants.
For Jewish men, authority came from their ancestry. They traced their lineage to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They believed that simply being descendants of Abraham and part of the Chosen People guaranteed divine blessing and protection–regardless of how they lived. Their dignity was derived from their heritage, not their actions. But a blessed life is not dependent on race, possessions, titles, or status.
For women, dignity was often tied to their children. In those days, barrenness was considered a curse. Infertility brought shame. But if their children succeeded, women felt fulfilled and honoured. Their joy came not from who they were, but from the success of their offspring. This still holds true for many mothers today, who dedicate their lives to ensuring their children are well-fed, cared for, and educated. A mother’s proudest moment is often seeing her children graduate, excel in their careers, marry well, and raise loving families.
A blessed life depends on how we live our lives. It is about being who we are truly meant to be. And who are we? We are called to be the glory of God, the dwelling place of God. A blessed life is when we become the house of God. As the prophet Joel said: “You will learn then that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Judah will be inhabited forever, Jerusalem from age to age.” This is why Mary is called blessed–not just because she was the biological mother of the Saviour, but because God dwelled in her. When the angel appeared to Mary, his first words were: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1:28). When Mary visited Elizabeth,“the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'” (Lk 1:41-42). It was the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that made Mary the dwelling place of the incarnate Son of God.
We too can live a glorious and blessed life if we allow God to rule our hearts and minds. As the psalmist says: “The Lord is king, let earth rejoice, let all the coastlands be glad. Cloud and darkness are his raiment; his throne, justice and right. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The skies proclaim his justice; all peoples see his glory.” Indeed, our goal in life is to become the glory of God. But as St. Paul said: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23). Salvation is when God is all in all. “When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to everyone.” (1 Cor 15:28). St. John’s vision of eternal blessedness is of God dwelling in us: “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev 21:3ff)
How is this possible? Jesus gave us the answer: “Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Hearing and obeying the Word of God is the key to a blessed life. This was the life of Mary–always attentive to the Word of God, pondering it, and putting it into practice. In another passage, the Lord said: “My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk 8:21). When the shepherds visited Jesus, the Gospel notes: “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19). These words are echoed again when they found Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:51). Mary’s obedience was evident from the Annunciation to Calvary and throughout her life. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38). And at Cana, she instructed us: “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn 2:5)
Concretely, this means we are called to live out our vocation according to God’s choice for us. Fidelity to our vocation brings true blessedness and happiness. We need not envy others’ positions, wealth, or status. Happiness lies not in what we are or what we do, but in how fully we live according to our gifts, our circumstances, and God’s plan for us. Mary was blessed simply by being the mother of Jesus. We too can be blessed simply by being faithful homemakers. Regardless what our profession is in life, it is who we are, how we live our lives –how we give ourselves to others in love and service – that matters. When we live responsibly, giving ourselves to the service of humanity with charity and compassion–whether in the Church or in society–we discover our purpose. Ultimately, we are called to live an integrated life rooted in Gospel values: integrity, honesty, humility, and generosity. Only a life lived in obedience to the Gospel and manifested through humble service can truly be a blessed life. As Jesus taught, to live fully, we must die to ourselves and live for others.
Indeed, there will be a call to accountability in the way we live our lives. The prophet Joel warns of destruction for those who fail to live rightly, and blessings for those who do. The Lord says: “I am going to sit in judgment there on all the nations round. Put the sickle in: the harvest is ripe; come and tread: the winepress is full, the vats are overflowing, so great is their wickedness! But the Lord will be a shelter for his people, a stronghold for the sons of Israel.” We must keep this in mind–we will face judgment: from the world, from our loved ones, and from God.
How we want to end our lives depends on how we live now. How do we want to make a difference in the lives of others? When we leave this world, will others rejoice that we lived a purposeful life, grateful for the impact we made? Otherwise, we cannot say we have truly lived or made full use of what the Lord has given us. A blessed life begins here and now–not just at the end. The greatest legacy we can leave our children is our values and the Gospel life we teach them. Only when they embrace the Gospel way of living will they find true meaning and joy. But if they live only for themselves, they will destroy their own happiness–and it means we have failed to pass on what truly matters: love of God, love of self, and love of others.
If we have not yet started to live as fully as we should, it is not too late. We can decide now to make a difference in others’ lives. We can choose to follow Jesus. “He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Cor 5:15) The Lord declares: “Host on host in the Valley of Decision!” Decide now how you want to live the rest of your life, so that you may leave this world without regret–but with joy, knowing you have done your part and are ready to be with the Lord forever in heaven. “When the day comes, the mountains will run with new wine, and the hills flow with milk, and all the riverbeds of Judah will run with water.” There will be eternal joy and happiness.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment