Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions
September 20, 2022
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Luke 8:19-21
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is talking to a crowd of people. Jesus is told that his mother and some relatives have come to see him. When Jesus hears about them, he makes an unusual statement that surprises his listeners. “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
In no way was Jesus rejecting or lessening his relationship with his mother. But he spoke the truth. Our relationships with each other as children of God give us a closeness even deeper than blood relationships. And when as children of God we act and try to obey God’s word in our lives we are closer than ever to each other.
Mary’s own life would put her in a unique relationship with God since with every breath she took she sought and lived out God’s will for her in utter perfection. Who knows, Jesus may have been smiling at his mother as he spoke. And she certainly understood what her son was saying.
