Family is the foundation of human society. Most of our daily activities revolve around this beautiful entity called ‘family.’ It is in fact, our identity. It is said, ‘there are five balls that we juggle in life: family, health, work, friends, and spiritual life. Among these five, only work is made of rubber, the rest all are made of glass - if we drop any of them, they could be fragile.’
Jesus Defines Family for Us
The Gospel scene today might make us ponder as Jesus equates His family with the common folk around Him; undermining the importance of His family. But a deeper look at the same scripture helps us realize that He is elevating its significance - helping the reader to broaden the horizons to a greater reality – ‘the essence of God’s family.’
The context is the choosing of the disciples. At the heart of this seemingly provocative scripture is the good news that by following Christ, we become part of God’s family, bound to Him like the closest siblings. The family of God is composed of those who earnestly seek and follow the will of the Father. It is a family bound together by faith, love, and a shared commitment to the divine plan.
George Truett once said remarkably, “To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge, to find the will of God is the greatest discovery, but to do the will of God is the greatest achievement.”
The Best We Can Be
How do we know, discover, and do the will of God? The close disciples of Jesus struggled with this, and we are no exception. Personally, I believe it’s a lifelong process and struggle. It’s our ability to be the best that we can be in each given situation.
Our call today is to broaden our horizon of family and embrace a more inclusive perspective. While our earthly families are precious and a gift from God, Jesus encourages us to extend the bonds of love beyond our immediate relatives, encompassing all those who strive to live in harmony with God’s command.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ
As we reflect on this passage, let’s discover ways to strengthen our ties with our spiritual family; ways to foster a sense of unity and love within our faith community. Ask yourself, how could I be an instrument to help another to be the best that one can be!
May this Gospel message inspire us to embrace the diverse family that God has called us to be part of. Let us support and encourage one another in our shared journey of faith, recognizing that, in doing so, we become brothers and sisters in Christ.
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