Mt 12:46-50
While Jesus was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers wanted to speak to him and they waited outside. So someone said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you.”
Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
REFLECTION
It is always amusing to hear two sweethearts debate on how exactly they will spend their evening together. Will they watch a movie, go to a basketball game, attend a rock concert, walk in the park? Each of the lovers want to please the other without any regard for personal preferences. In substance, they are always saying: your will, not mine.
Such is the nature of authentic love. It always seeks union of the wills, those sacred places in which our freedom is rooted. Jesus, who understands human nature better than anyone, knows this perfectly. That is why he insists so much on our loving him by obeying his will: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).
In today’s gospel reading Jesus does not deny the value of family ties. He knows very well that, as the saying goes “blood is thicker than water.” In other words, family ties are stronger than the ties binding classmates, business associates, countrymen, co-workers, teammates and even close friends. But at the same time he affirms the primacy of spiritual ties in the new community founded by him. In other words, doing his Father’s will created ties thicker than blood!
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