By Praveen Bandula csc –
Readings: 1Cor 10: 14-22; Lk 6: 43-49
Today, the mother church celebrates the feast of the Holy Name of Mary. It is our responsibility to show our gratitude to the Almighty God for giving us Virgin Mary as the mother of us all. By becoming the mother of Jesus Christ, she became the mother to all of us. So, it is our duty to show reverence and venerate her in our lives.
The gospel of the day is very much applicable to Mother Mary. No good tree bears bad fruit; it tells us that the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was full of Holy Spirit carried the Lord himself in her womb. God saw her as a worthy person to bring forth the salvation of humanity from her womb. Further, Jesus tells in today’s gospel that whoever listens to him and acts on his word will be like a person who built a house on solid foundation.
Mother Mary was obedient to the will of God with faith and courage. The first reading reminds us to be faithful to the Lord who created us in his image and likeness. As we share the one body of Christ, we must live in one God, as blessed Mary was faithful to one living God. By celebrating the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, mother Church is inviting us to take her as an example to listen to Christ and act on his words. In this process, invoking the Holy name of Mary is helpful for us to reach the presence of our heavenly Father.