WHOEVER DOES THE WILL
"Whoever does the will of my Father is my brother, and sister, and
mother."
The theme of
yesterday's Gospel was the identity of Jesus Christ, authenticated by the sign
of Jonah. The theme of today's scripture is the identity of Jesus' family.
Jesus Christ speaks
of the ideal family in the Gospel of Matthew: those who do God's will.
Faithfulness is what confirms us as His family. But in the Gospel also brings
out inherent difficulties with and in family life. Without this reminder, the
ideal family could easily be out of reach or an airy ideal. No matter how happy
we might look, how ideal we may think, all families have their defects and
difficulties.
Could we say that
we need support and comfort of the family - but that the family also inevitably
brings with it problems? Possibly all of this would be more acceptable to us if
we did not idealize the family too much. Certainly we should have high
standards for our family, high hopes, but along with these we need to realize
that like every other element in human life, the family too has inherent
difficulties. All family life calls for redemption and, on our part, the exercise
of the qualities put before us in the Eucharist: compassion, forgiveness,
self-denial, patience, love. This we can take to the Bank!
In the Gospel
Acclamation we hear these words: Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my
Father will love him and we will come to him. May we have good health in mind
and wholeness in the body, unity in the family and prosperity in our society.
When we unite we reconcile, heal and have great joy in our hearts!
Jesus said in the
Gospel: We have a place in God's household. "Whoever does the will of my
Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." We are full members of
God's family.
That alone should
bring us great joy!