The heart of Mary was good ground for the holy seed. She sat at the feet of Jesus, and heard his word. This is as it should be. The Lord calls it the one thing needful. Let us note it well. The word of God is as necessary to the heart, if we are to bring forth fruits of the spirit unto everlasting life, as the seed is to the soil, if this is to produce a crop of grain. If the word of God does not enter our heart, we can bring forth only the fruits of sin unto death and perdition. For nothing save noxious weeds grow wild in the heart; not charity, but self-love, hate, and anger; no work for God and heaven, but only worldly pursuits and aspirations. It is necessary to hear the word, even as Mary heard it. There are many who hear, and yet do not hear it. One who has no ear for music may hear the notes and chords, and yet not hear them, the music does not reach his soul or stir his heart. In like manner many hear the word of God, and their cold reason understands it; but they do not hear the heavenly music of the word, and are not sensible of its power to lay hold of the heart. — Do you hear these notes of love? Do you hear the shepherd voice of Jesus in the word? Do you hear the chime of the heavenly bells? — You are careful and troubled about many things; your ear is so full of the noise and roar of the world that it is deaf to the word of God. But remember, dear friend, that all your works, even the best among them, are barren and without root or kernel, if they are not the fruit of that faith which is a result of hearing the word. Begin in earnest, with your whole heart, to do that which Jesus says; then shall you taste how sweet his word is, and feel its regenerating power. — Lord, grant us this grace. Help us to love thy statutes, and to find delight and joy in thy word. Amen.

In our Mectildian–Benedictine calendar today, February 8th, is also the feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. (This date was aptly chosen in the 17th century in relation to February 2nd, on which day we read Simeon’s prophecy [Luke 2:35] concerning the Heart of the Mother of God: “And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed”.) The feast is not celebrated fully this year but merely commemorated at Lauds, Mass, and Vespers, because it coincides with Sexagesima Sunday. All the same, the Most Pure Heart Mary emerges from the proper texts of Sexagesima Sunday in a wonderful way. The Virgin Mary’s immaculate Heart is the “good ground” of the Gospel. Thus do we sing every morning in Psalm 66 at the beginning of Lauds, making reference to the Mother of God, Terra dedit fructum suum, “The earth hath yielded her fruit” (Psalm 66:7).