THE FAMILY OF GOD! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Daily Reflections

Tuesday, 26^thSeptember 2017,

Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Ezra 6: 7-8,12,14-20;

Ps 121: 1-5;

Lk 8: 19-21

THE FAMILY OF GOD!

The immediate family is generally looked upon as the closest bond on earth. However, Christ teaches that there is a closer tie than the family. It is, the tie that binds Christ and his followers together. This is the message of today’s Gospel passage.

While Jesus was preaching to the crowd, he was interrupted and informed of the arrival of his mother and brothers(which would have been cousins), who were looking for him. Jesus’ reply surprises the hearers. It looked like he disowned his family. But, he did not disown his family nor relegate his family to a position of less importance, nor did he mean that the human family mattered little to God. He was proclaiming the existence of a unique family - a spiritual family. The unique family and kinship is based upon the word of God, ‘hearing it and doing it’. The person who is closest to God is the person who obeys God, who takes his word seriously. Jesus thus invites all his listeners to be part of his family, by living what they had heard him speaking.

This happens when we “hear the Word of God and act on it.” It’s that simple. You are invited to enter the family of Jesus in a deep, personal and profound way if you but listen to all God says and then act on it. Though this sounds simple on one level, it’s very radical on the other level. It’s radical in the sense that it requires a total commitment to the will of God. That’s because when God speaks, His words are powerful and transforming. And acting on His words will change our lives. We see that concretely in the life of Jesus’ mother, who not only heard God’s word, but obeyed it, allowing herself to be transformed as the Mother of God.

Let us consider the invitation of Jesus to be a member of His intimate family, and say “Yes” to this invitation. Let us be ready and willing to let His voice and His divine will change our life.

Prayer: Lord, I accept Your invitation to become a member of Your intimate family. May I hear Your voice speak and act upon all that You say. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.