The devotion of Sanctæ Mariæ Sabbato, or “Saturday of Our Lady,” is a longstanding tradition in the Church, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary with particular devotion on Saturdays. This practice reflects the deep reverence the faithful have for Our Lady, who remained steadfast in faith even as the apostles scattered after Christ’s Passion. In this reflection, we turn to two scriptural passages—Ecclesiasticus 24:14-16 (Sirach 24:14-16 in modern translations) and Luke 11:27-28—which illuminate her singular role in God’s plan and her preeminence in wisdom, grace, and true beatitude.
Mary, the Root of Divine Wisdom
In Ecclesiasticus 24:14-16, we read:
“From the beginning and before the world was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be: and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him. And so was I established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honourable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance: and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.”
The Church Fathers often interpret this passage in reference to Divine Wisdom (Sapientia Dei), which finds its perfect expression in Our Lord Jesus Christ. However, by extension, it also beautifully prefigures the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, as the Theotokos (God-bearer), is inseparably united to the Incarnate Wisdom.
St. Bonaventure, the Seraphic Doctor, writes:
“Mary is that noble plant which took root in the honored people, for from her sprang forth the Flower of Jesse, Christ Our Lord.” (Psalterium Marianum, Ps. 14)
Mary’s deep rooting among God’s chosen people is fulfilled in her Immaculate Conception and divine maternity. She is “established in Sion,” prefiguring her role as the new Eve, the Queen of the New Jerusalem, and the Mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. Just as Wisdom “ministered before Him,” so too did Mary serve God in perfect obedience, most fully expressed in her Fiat: “Be it done unto me according to Thy word” (Luke 1:38).
True Beatitude: Beyond the Flesh, Into the Spirit
In Luke 11:27-28, we hear a striking exchange:
“And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.”
At first glance, one might mistakenly interpret Christ’s words as a diminishment of His Mother’s role. However, as St. Augustine clarifies, this response does not negate Mary’s blessedness but rather confirms the deeper reason for it:
“Mary was more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore Thee,’ He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.’ That is why Mary is blessed, because she kept the Word of God—not merely in her body, but in her heart.” (De Sancta Virginitate, 3)
This passage teaches that Mary’s true beatitude is not solely in the physical fact of her divine maternity, but in her perfect obedience to God’s will. She is the model disciple, the one who “heard the word of God and kept it” in the most profound way. St. Bede the Venerable echoes this insight:
“The Lord does not deny what was said, but rather corrects it so that we may learn wherein true blessedness consists. The Virgin Mother is indeed blessed because she was counted worthy to give birth to Christ in the flesh, but much more blessed because she kept the faith in her heart.” (In Lucam, 11:27-28)
Sanctæ Mariæ Sabbato: A Call to Marian Imitation
On this Marian Saturday, these passages invite us not only to venerate Mary but to imitate her. She is the Seat of Wisdom because she humbly submitted to God’s plan. She is the Mother of Christ because she first conceived Him in faith. She is truly blessed, not merely by the grace bestowed upon her, but because she responded to it with perfect fidelity.
Thus, in honoring Mary on this day, we seek to live by her example:
- To take root in the tradition of the saints, as she did (Ecclus 24:16).
- To hear the Word of God and keep it, as she did (Luke 11:28).
- To bear Christ within us, not physically as she did uniquely, but spiritually by faith and obedience.
May Our Lady, Speculum Iustitiæ (Mirror of Justice), guide us in her wisdom, and may we, by her intercession, be found among those who truly “hear the Word of God and keep it.”
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis!