Tuesday
of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
September
22, 2015 8:30am Middle School
Today we have an interesting
little statement from Jesus in the gospel.
Jesus expands the notion of
family – for himself – to include anyone and everyone who “hears the Word of God and acts on it.”
So, I got thinking that our birth
families may tell something about what it means to be in Jesus’ family.
My idea is that there are a
number of blessings or gifts that come to us from our birth families.
I think we can draw some spiritual
parallels and see similar blessings or gifts from being part of Jesus’ family.
So first, we receive, very
obviously, life itself from our birth family.
In a similar way, Jesus gives us
life through our re-birth in Baptism and through the other sacraments,
especially the Eucharist.
Second, we receive love from our
birth family and this love gives us the self-esteem and feeling of security
that we need.
In a similar way, Jesus by giving
himself, his own life for us gives us God’s love and this brings us an absolute
and lasting grounding of self-worth.
Third, we receive nurturing from
our birth family.
In a similar way, Jesus through
the Eucharist nurtures and strengthens us for the everyday tasks and challenges
and sufferings of life.
And fourth, we receive guidance
from our birth family.
And again, in a similar way, Jesus
through the Scripture guides us toward what is positive and good for us and for
others.
So, being part of the family of
Jesus gives us gifts or blessings similar to what our blood family gives:
Life, love, nurturing, and guidance.
That is the great value of being of
being part of Jesus’ family here on earth.
