The Family of God

This reading (MT 12: 46-50) for a long time caused angst in me. I don’t like the way Jesus spoke about His mother and brothers, his family. 

I imagined they traveled a great distance to see Jesus, and when they got to him, He dismissed them with His words. Jesus made them seem insignificant. I have never liked seeing that attitude in Jesus. It is a dismissive attitude that I find offensive.

Yes, I do get it that Jesus was speaking about the Kingdom of God and our relationship with God. Everything in my heart believes there must have been a kinder way, especially toward His mother. Now that I have that off my chest, I can tell you about what I am coming to understand this passage to mean. 

I have become more understanding of the point Jesus was trying to make. Jesus was trying to help the people who were listening to understand God’s role and the role of other believers in their lives. In essence, He is telling the listeners that they are all called to be the family of God. He is also declaring His own relationship as one with God. He says, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” If they are really listening, Jesus is telling them He is the Son of God. This was an enormous admission and a compelling moment. 

I imagine some of the followers heard His words and thought Jesus had gone a step too far. They may have guessed, healer, and teacher for sure. Jesus is a prophet, maybe. But the Son of God was that truth or blasphemy. Others, hearing the same words, probably had their hope, if not their understanding, raised.

We are all one family of God. Jesus says there is only one condition to be a part of the family. We must do the will of the Father. That is the key. Jesus says we are His brothers and sisters if we do the will of the Father. We, too, are the sons and daughters of God. 

Sometimes it is hard to think of “some people” as a part of the family. That is true in our human families, and it is right in the family of God. But our willingness to try and get along and to attempt to understand one another is crucial. Sometimes we just have to learn to courteously tolerate one another. We don’t get to pick who is in the Kingdom. We certainly do not get to judge anyone else as unworthy of the Kingdom.

Okay, so now I am going to wander out on a bit of a limb. Hear Jesus’ words again, “For whoever does the will of my Father is brother, sister, and mother to me.” He doesn’t say all those with whom we agree or find pleasing are Catholic or even all those who are Christian. He says, “whoever does the will of my Father.” We need to be careful not to put limits on the breadth of God’s reach. 

Just like the attitude of Jesus toward His mother and brothers pushed my nose out of joint, we can do the same. We can get put off that Jesus is allowing into our family Jews, Muslims, Evangelicals, and everyone else if they listen to and carry out the will of the Father. 

Rather than be put off by that thought, we need to celebrate it. We need to embrace it and find hope in it for our world. Indeed, the only way we will begin to build the Kingdom of God here on earth is if everyone is invited. The Kingdom of God excludes only those who refuse to enter it. The single cost of entry is doing the will of God.

In God’s Unending Love,

Gwen