TUESDAY JANUARY 23, 2024
TUESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
2 Samuel 6: 12b-15. 17-19
Mark 3:31-35
CHRISTIANS ARE RELATED NOT BY BLOOD BUT BY FAITH AND OBEDIENCE
Jesus compliments his mother in today’s gospel when the crowds around him informed him that his mother and brethren were outside waiting to see him. He answers them, that his mother, brothers and sisters are those who do the will of God.
From the records, Mary was on the top list of those who carried out the will of God. It seems as if Jesus was telling them, look beyond the biological relationship with my mother, but look more on the spiritual and her tie with God the Father. For by faith and obedience has my mother won her title of motherhood over me. She answered the call of the angel Gabriel, she attended to the request of God, she accepted and followed the will of God for her life.
And she is also supporting me and will never allow me to deviate from accomplishing the will of my Father in heaven. So that the fear that he was being in danger against the Pharisees and the leading religious people of his time who sought his life and were setting traps for him and of which these brethren has brought the mother to see and talk with him or even if possible take back to Nazareth will not eventually materialize since he was only carrying out the will of God his Father for his life.
Jesus therefore instructs us to understand that the Christian faith and life is much more tied to faith and obedience of faith than to any biological relationship. His mother even thought they are biologically related but are more closely related and associated in faith and obedience to God by doing the will of God.
In the same way, anyone who desires to be close to him and to God will be that only and if the person obeys the will of God and suppresses his human desires and aspiration by keeping to the will of God, accepting the ordinances of God and carrying out the will of God.
Faith and obedience to God’s will also makes us brothers and sisters to one another. The waters of baptism and the spirit of Sonship in Christ is attained when we believe, trust and love God with all our hearts, wills and mind and our strength. It is not gained by blood relationship or bought by money, or through any other means.
Let us braze up our faith, be prompt in obedience to the dictates of the word of God and strive to keep God’s love and commandment as he talks to us daily in the liturgy, in the scriptures and in our daily interactions with people.
Let us also maintain our faith community by sharing our lives, cooperating with the faith community to propagate the faith the more through our active service, moral and financial support and above all through our attendance at all liturgical celebrations, including seminars, retreats and conferences organized by our faith communities to promote the will of God and the command of God in our lives.
Heavenly Father, we desire to do your will. Grant us the strength to overcome our human challenges and weaknesses. May our desire translate into concrete actions of courageously upholding your commandments and wills, by loving as you desire and living life of virtues. May we build up this relationship of faith and obedience in our parish and faith communities as we daily witness to the gospel through Jesus Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
