Mark 3:33-35 But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and [my] brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.[For] whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
This Gospel might seem a little strange. It kind of sounds like Jesus kicked his family to the curb, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Huh?
But think of it this way – Jesus expands family beyond any bloodline connection. He considers us family when we do the will of God. This is great news! All we have to do to be a part of His family is know the will of God and do it. How? St. Luke put it this way, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” (Luke 8:21) So, doing the will of God is being obedient to His word. And what does His word tell us to do?
- Love God above all else, and love our neighbor as ourselves.
- Give God praise and thanksgiving always and everywhere.
- Give back to God from our entire selves – Time, Talents, and Treasure, in humble gratitude for all of His blessings.
In this, let’s look to Matthew 25 and find the works of mercy: feeding, clothing, providing shelter, visiting the sick, the shut- in, and those in prison. To this I add, educating kids from poor families, and providing real solutions for young pregnant women to choose life. Being obedient to God’s word, putting God first in every area of our lives, and giving to the needs of the poor – to me, this is doing God’s will. This is living stewardship.
So – be obedient to God’s word. Give in response to God’s blessings!
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