REFLECTIONS TODAY
Doing the will of God is central to the Jewish and Christian faith. God does not want sacrifices (Hos 6:6) but an open and obedient attitude, which makes a person say, “Behold, I come to do your will, O God” (Heb 10:5-7; see Ps 40:9). Jesus himself has taught us to say, “Your will be done, on earth as in heaven” (Mt 6:10). In Gethsemane, he agonized but said, “Not as I will, but as you will” (Mt 26:39). This was the test of his sonship, so it is for the disciples: they have to submit to the authority of God and do his will. A lip-profession of faith is not enough. The authentic criterion is “doing” the Father’s will which Jesus reveals by his words and actions.
Matthew here reports the fact that the family and relatives of Jesus initially did not take kindly his decision to leave Nazareth to be an itinerant preacher. Luke, however, specifies that Mary, the mother of Jesus, belongs to the new family of Jesus because of her fiat to the message of the angel (1:38), making her “the first disciple” of her Son.
FIRST READING • Mi 7:14-15, 18-20 14Shepherd your people with your staff,/ the flock of your inheritance,/ That dwells apart in a woodland,/ in the midst of Carmel./ Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,/ as in the days of old;/ 15as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,/ show us wonderful signs. 18Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt/ and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;/ Who does not persist in anger forever,/ but delights rather in clemency,/ 19And will again have compassion on us,/ treading underfoot our guilt?/ You will cast into the depths of the sea/ all our sins;/ 20You will show faithfulness to Jacob,/ and grace to Abraham,/ As you have sworn to our fathers/ from days of old.
Gospel • Matthew 12:46-50
While Jesus was still 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.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.