"’Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" And
stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.’” Mt 12:49
When I was a young man this gospel unnerved me. It seemed
like Jesus was ignoring his mother and brothers who wanted to speak with him.
In fact, he is not so much ignoring them as he is including us, his people.
When we listen with attentiveness to his word and let the transformation he
desires occur in us, Jesus extends his arms to embrace all people as his own.
This text pushes us even further. It demands that we ask
ourselves whether our desire for unity with all people in Christ is as intense
as Jesus’ yearning for us to be his family.
Unless we take the gift of faith and offer it to others, we fail to live
the gospel as it is proclaimed.
St Augustine, in a homily on the Psalms, entreats the people
of his day never to look at another as less that a brother or a sister. In
anyone, especially an enemy, asks,
“Why do you seek us? What do you want of us?” we should reply: You are our brothers. They may say, “Leave us alone. We have nothing to do with you.” But we have everything to do with you, for we are one in our belief in Christ; and so we should be in one body, under one head.”
Today be a brother or sister to someone from whom you have
been separated.
How you live the
gospel command to be brother and sister to all people?
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