Luke 8:19-21
My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.
These words of Jesus from today's Gospel are not an insult to his blood relatives. Far from it. Jesus is taking them -- and also all of us -- to the next level. That is the spiritual level, that realm of reality that is unseen, yet real as a rock!
His mother already was on that level. She had heard the word of God through the archangel Gabriel years before. She had acted on it with her affirmative answer, making her the biological mother of Jesus.
We, too, can hear the word of God and act on it -- thus making us "kin" with Jesus, the Son of God. This is an awesome proposition, but one that is entirely possible. We have the words of Jesus Himself to confirm it: "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."
Lord, make me always able to hear Your word, and give me the grace to act on it!
(Luke 8:21)
Father Ed Bakker
