One day in August in the early years of the Church, on the Esquiline Hill in Rome there was an unusual snowstorm for that time of year! And who should appear there but the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mother of God and Mother of the Church. Legend has it that she left her footprints in the snow there.
In the fourth century, the Council of Ephesus had just concluded, which defined once and for all time the fact that Mary was indeed Mother of God: if she was Mother of Jesus the man, and Jesus the man was also God, then she was also very properly called "Mother of God."
To commemorate this important definition, Pope Sixtus III ordered that a church be built on that Esquiline Hill and named Our Lady of the Snows. It would be the first church in the West named in honor of the Mother of God. And so in the fifth century the church of Our Lady of the Snows was built.
Later it was renamed the Basilica of St. Mary Major (being still the first church named in honor of the Mother of God). It is one of the four major basilicas of Rome – St. Peter's, St. Paul outside the Walls, and St. John Lateran being the other three.
Our first reading today tells us of the spirit of a basilica: they are majestic and beautiful places reflecting the glory and splendor of God and the New Jerusalem in the heavenly Kingdom that awaits us all. It is a place where God dwells in a special way with his people. He enjoys intimate communion with them, as a husband does with his beautiful bride!
The gospel passage reflects, in just two sentences the heart of the life of beatitude and glory that we are all called to: so that we can be like living basilicas and churches ourselves: blessed and happy are those who hear the word of God and observe it!
LISTENING, in the silence of our hearts for the voice of God speaking, and then OBEYING is what life in God is all about!
This is how Mary lived her life, this is how Jesus lived his life, this is how we are to live ours!
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