Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved (http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations)
“Who are my mother and my brothers and sisters?” Is this a slap in the face to Jesus’ family? Is Jesus being callous in refusing to rush outside to greet them? Should we conclude that by answering “yes” we are callous and miss the point? Perhaps the point is that Jesus actually honors his family by enlarging it? This makes sense as we realize that Jesus’ mother, Mary, is our mother also, precisely because she accomplishes “the will of God.” At the Annunciation, Mary told the angel Gabriel: “I am the servant of the Lord, Let it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
How does God’s word stir my heart today? How is the Lord inviting and drawing me to make a difference?
—The Jesuit Prayer Team
Lord, as we move through this day, let your words guide our will: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” For these few moments, help us to contemplate the awesome invitation to be “my brother and sister and mother.” When we view ourselves as members of the inner circle of your family, we are touched by your unconditional love and by your intimate involvement in the fabric of our lives. Lord, help us to see all those around us as fellow siblings, your children, in the kingdom of God.
—The Jesuit Prayer Team
Please share the Good Word with your friends!
