These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Saturday, Week XXVII, Ordinary Time—Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary

While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Lk 11:27-28)

Hearing the word of God and putting it into practice is what faith is all about. It is ancient custom in the church to dedicate Saturday to the Virgin Mary who “treasured up all these things and reflected on them in her heart” (Lk 2:19) and teaches us to do the same.