HOMILY OF TUESDAY 16TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: THE FAMILY OF JESUS
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
Micah 7:14-15,18-20, Ps. 85:2-8, Matthew 12:46-50
‘For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.’
Family bond is the highest force that keeps people together. This bond takes first consideration in matters of love, emotions, and decisions. In our relationships with others, our family pride comes first. In Israel, the family was the basis for social living. It was the guarantee of land possession, custodian of values, and the defence of identity.
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In the Gospel of today (Matthew 12:46-50), the relatives reached the house where Jesus was. His mother also came with them. They did not enter but sent a messenger: “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with You.” Jesus’ reaction was: “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. For whoever does the will of My heavenly Father is My brother, and sister, and mother.” To understand the meaning of this response is very necessary because it has been widely misinterpreted.
Becoming a member of a family is not necessarily through biological process. It could be by adoption. One could also get into a family through marriage. The family of Jesus moves beyond biological affiliation. What guarantees us a place is doing the will of God with adoption through baptism as the basic foundation. Jesus used the occasion to teach His listeners this important lesson. Jesus, in this passage, moved from earthly family to focus on His other family that is made up of those who do the will of God. This forms His true intimates. Mary belongs to this heavenly family because she is preeminently the one who has said, “let it be done onto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason, she is the first disciple of Jesus and the model for Christians.
This is the true relationship Jesus calls you into. The mind of God is larger than anything you can think of. He accepts all who are willing to obey Him. We can’t restrict Him to an earthly family. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord Amen. Please, stay safe. Good morning.
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