This passage from Luke is similar to the reading we had the other day about John the Baptist and Jesus saying that the least in the kingdom of God was greater than him. Jesus is certainly not saying that his mother, Mary, should not be considered blessed, but that we, too, have been blessed to know of our salvation.
We have not been visited by an angel as Mary was. We have not been assured that this message is from God by an angel telling us of a miracle that had taken place.
No, we have trusted in the words of those who came before us and who passed on their faith to us. We and they trusted the words of the writers of the Gospels.
Once our eyes were opened to the gift of salvation that Jesus earned for us, we began to see the ways in which God has always been present in our lives. Now we can see the blessings that God has given us and we can and should consider ourselves to be blessed.
Just think about how barren our lives would be if we believed that this life on earth with all its pains and difficulties were all there is.
How would we act? Would we live without hope? Would we be one of those who took advantage of every pleasure offered to us regardless of the pain we might be causing others?
Who would we be if we didn't know that we are the beloved and blessed children of God?
Mary was blessed to carry Jesus within her womb and care for him, teach and train him and then watch him complete his mission on this earth before joining him in Heaven. We are blessed to carry the Holy Spirit within us – Temples of the Holy Spirit, as Paul says.
When we remain faithful to his words, we, too, will join him in his Kingdom with Mary and all the saints, those who heard the Word of God and kept it.
