Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

READING

Gospel Mk 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.

Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.

A crowd seated around him told him,

"Your mother and your brothers and your sisters

are outside asking for you." But he said to them in reply,

"Who are my mother and my brothers?"

And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,

"Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

REFLECTION

"Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

The crowd noticed that Jesus' mother and brothers were outside asking for him.

Jesus replied, "Who are my mother and brothers?"

Jesus is teaching the crowd that those who do God the Father's Will are His spiritual brothers and sisters. The bond among those in a spiritual family is different than blood-related family members. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph do the Father's Will.

How do we know what the Father's Will is?

Jesus taught us the perfect prayer that tells what the Will of the Father is. It is the "Our Father." In the Catechism of the Catholic Church the Our Father is explained.

Our Father "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish. "His commandment is "that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. This commandment summarizes all the others and expresses his entire will. (CCC 2822)

"He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ...to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to his counsel and will."(Eph1:9-11) We ask insistently for this loving plan (His Will) to be fully realized on earth as it is already in heaven. (CCC 2823)

"Although he was a Son, (Jesus) learned obedience through what he suffered." (Heb 5:8) How much more reason have we sinful creatures to learn obedience - we who in him have become children of adoption. We ask our Father to unite our will to his Son's in order to fulfill His Will, His plan of salvation for the life of the world. We are radically incapable of this, but united with Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can surrender our will to him and decide to choose what his Son has always chosen: to do what is pleasing to the Father. (CCC 2825)

Becoming a part of Jesus' family means to become His disciples. Saying "Let it be done to me according to your word." Just like Mother Mary did. Just like the apostles did by leaving their nets and relatives and to do Jesus' Will.

Pray and meditate on the Our Father. Ask Jesus through Mother Mary to send the Holy Spirit and surrender our will to do what is pleasing to the Father.

Learning and listening to God's word helps us to get closer to Jesus. Join us on Wednesdays to study the Gospel of last Sunday in Face ZBS. Ask questions from a theologian, Father Michael J. Truongluan Nguyen, C.Ss,R. Here is the link to join us.