t is wonderful to realize that we belong to the family of God

Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings.

The Gospel today (Luke ‪8:19-21‬) presents the episode in which the relatives of Jesus and also his Mother want to speak with him, but Jesus does not pay attention to them. Jesus had problems with his family. Sometimes the family helps one to live the Gospel and to participate in the community. Other times, the family prevents this. This is what happened to Jesus and this is what happens to us.

The reaction of Jesus is clear: “My mother and my brothers/sisters are those who listen to the Word of God and put it into practice”. In Mark, the reaction of Jesus is more concrete. Mark says: Looking around at those who were sitting there he said: “Look, my mother and my brothers/sisters! Anyone who does the will of God, he is my brother, sister, and mother (Mark 3, 34-35). Jesus extends his family! He does not permit the family to draw him away from the mission: neither the family.

It is the Word of God which creates a new family around Jesus. In the time of Jesus, the political social and economic moment or the religious ideology, everything conspired in favor of weakening the central values of the clan, of the community. The concern for the problems of the family prevented persons from being united in the community. Rather, in order that the Kingdom of God could manifest itself anew, in the community life of the people, persons had to go beyond, to pass the narrow limits of the small family and open themselves to the large family, toward the Community. Jesus gives the example. When his own family tried to take hold of him, Jesus reacted and extended the family (Mk 3, 33-35). He created the Community.

We need to understand that when Jesus was talking to others, he was not just giving a few rules for better living. He was inviting us to accept adoption into the Divine family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So, these words of Jesus about his mother and his family are not a slight on Mary but are reminding us of how he wants everyone to belong to His family. In our adopted life, He, even from the Cross, gave us Mary as our mother through the symbolism of Saint John when he said to him “Here is your mother” (John 19:27). It is wonderful to realize that we belong to God’s family.

People naturally assumed that Jesus would give first place to his family. But with one sentence he reveals that every human being can become a member of his family. Closeness to Jesus does not depend on social standing or academic achievement or affluence. It depends instead on ‘hearing the word and doing it’.

Today I invite you to meditate together on this question: Does your family help or make it difficult for you to participate in the Christian community?

Blessings

Fr. Luis+