Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed. This was a statement that could only have been made by a woman as the text rightly points out. The statement’s author was crediting Jesus’ mother for having such a charismatic wonder-worker as a son. It was a statement made to regale Mary for what Jesus had turned out to be. It was a statement that, were Jesus’ mother in the crowd, would have filled her with pride. It is perhaps this last observation that elicited Jesus’ response: “ Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” While Jesus would definitely have wanted his mother to have this moment for herself, he at the same time did not want this one moment to steal the show and overshadow what he was doing. He did not want those listening to him to lose focus on why the Virgin Mary was indeed a blessed woman. Yes, Mary had done a good job in how she had raised Jesus, but it was not about her: “ I am your servant; let it be done unto me as you wish…” she had said when the angel Gabriel announced to her what the Lord had set her apart to do (cf. Luke 1:38). Mary had achieved this, not of her own accord, but because she heard the word and observed it. “ My mom is blessed, yes, but all that she did was something that all of you here listening could have done too,” Jesus seemed to say, “ for all that it takes to attain a blessed status is to be a doer of God’s word. You too can be what my mother is. You too can be a bearer of the Word. But first of all, you must be open to that word and do as the word says.”
Jesus was not playing down the position her mother holds in the history of salvation. He did recognize her unique contribution, but at the same time, he was offering that same opportunity to those who were gathered about him and listening to him. In a rather subtle way, he was offering her mother as an example and as someone to be imitated. Those who were listening to him were in the very position that Mary was, for they too were listening to God’s messenger speaking to them. Would they too be referred to as blessed?