Word to the Wise
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 - Tuesday in the 16th Week in Ordinary Time
[Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 and Matt 12:46-50]"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." [Matthew]
For centuries in the Middle East, and even now, one's survival could depend on one's blood kinship. Family, clan and tribe were and still are deep forces in social life. Scripture scholars have speculated that in the aftermath of Jesus death and resurrection there may have been claims to power and leadership (James, the brother of Jesus?) in the community based on kinship claims. All three of the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke) make it clear that Jesus rejected any claims to privilege that his kin might claim. The criteria would be hearing the word of God and keeping it.
That being said, Jesus also stated that mere recognition and calling on his name is not a claim either [Matt. 7:21-23] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the heavenly kingdom, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." Worship without love and justice is empty. If we want to be "kin" to Jesus and enter the kingdom, we have to do more than adore. If we are kin to Jesus, we are kin to all his brothers and sisters. Who are they? There is a list in Matthew 25:31-45: "When I was hungry......" AMEN