Be With Jesus, Not Around Him

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to a crowd when someone tells Him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for You.” Jesus then says, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then He points to His disciples and says, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Jesus is not rejecting His family. In fact, no one loved His mother more than He did. Instead, He is teaching us something even more important: the deepest relationship with Jesus is not based on blood, but on obedience to God.

Think about Mary. Why is she the greatest of all the saints? It is not simply because she gave birth to Jesus. Elizabeth tells us the answer: “Blessed is she who believed.” Mary became the Mother of God because she first said, “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Her greatness came from her faith and her complete “yes” to God’s will. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is actually praising His mother. He is showing us that Mary belongs to His true family because she perfectly lived what He is teaching: she heard God’s word and obeyed it.

This is an important lesson for us. Sometimes we think that being close to holy things automatically makes us holy. We can come to Mass every Sunday, wear a crucifix, pray familiar prayers, or even serve in the parish. These are beautiful things, but they are not enough if they do not change the way we live. Being close to Jesus is different from belonging to Jesus. Judas walked with Jesus for three years, yet his heart remained far away. On the other hand, many saints never saw Jesus with their physical eyes, but they belonged completely to Him because they trusted Him and followed His will.

Jesus is inviting each one of us into His family. Think about that for a moment. The Creator of the universe does not simply want servants or followers. He wants sons and daughters. Through Baptism we become children of God, members of Christ’s Body, and part of His family. But every family has a way of life. In God’s family, the mark of belonging is not our last name or our background. It is our willingness to say “yes” to God every day, even when it is difficult. Every act of forgiveness, every hidden sacrifice, every choice to love instead of complain is another way of saying, “Father, I want to do Your will.”

Maybe the question we should ask ourselves today is not, “Do I know Jesus?” but rather, “Does my life show that I belong to His family?” If someone watched the way I speak, work, forgive, pray, and treat others, would they recognize the family resemblance? Would they see something of Christ in me? The good news is that every day is another opportunity to begin again. Jesus is still extending His hand and saying, “Come. There is a place for you in My family.” All He asks is a heart that is willing to trust Him and do the Father’s will.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting me into Your family. Teach me not only to know Your words but to live them. Like Mary, help me to say “yes” to God’s will with faith and courage. When it is difficult to obey, give me strength. When I fail, give me the humility to begin again. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko