Word to the Wise
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 - Tuesday in the 16th Week in Ordinary Time
[Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 and Matt 12:46-50]While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you." But he said in reply to the one who told him, "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]
In the MIddle East, family, clan and tribe are primary relationships that are based on blood kin and descendance. Loyalty to those relationships was expected. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah and of Joseph's clan. So, it might be expected that when his mother and "brothers" come looking for him that he would respond accordingly. Instead, he points out that discipleship comes first before family relationships. The Gospel According to Mark [3:20-21, 31-35] relates that Jesus' family [including his mother] thought he had "lost his mind" by his preaching and creating antagonism with religious authorities. and were trying to seize him!
Jesus does not reject family relationships but he clearly places discipleship above family. This priority would cause family division, as his instruction to the disciples indicated [Matt. 10:34-36]. This kind of division continues to happen when a member of a family "converts" to a religious tradition different from the family's tradition. Those who have gone through the decision to become a Catholic and participate in the RCIA process can give many examples. Family reaction can range from disowning to indifference. In more extreme circumstances, involving family members who become involved with "cults," families have kidnapped the convert and subjected them to a kind of reverse brain-washing process.
The German Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote a book that has become a classic: THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP. His witness cost him his life. What does our discipleship demand of us? AMEN