[guinnessman]

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Luke 11:27-28

In other words, Jesus is saying that she's not blessed because, through some accident of history, she happened to be the one who was to give birth to the Messiah; she's blessed because she heard the word of God through the angel Gabriel, and accepted it, and took it to heart, and lived her life accordingly.

Headache, maybe you can ask your friend what would've happened to God's plan of salvation if Mary had said "no" to the angel Gabriel instead of "yes". That's why we catholics call Mary "the new Eve". Eve said "no" to the will of God. Mary said "yes".

[William Terrell]

Did you not notice the "rather" in 11:28? Boy, you guys sure labor to twist the plain words of scripture to your own purposes.

And of Matthew 12:46-50 and Mark 3:31-35?