He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
It is by the response of faith that we become sons and daughters of the heavenly Father.
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham (see Galatians 3:7).
Jesus didn't want the crowd to think that relationship with him was only possible on the basis of genealogy. He did not come to be the Lord of this or that tribe but for all of Israel, and not only for Israel, but for the nations. The blessings he came to bring were to big to be restricted to those who were closest to him by blood.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (see John 1:12-13).
Mary herself was the mother of Jesus by faith before she conceived him in the flesh.
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (see Luke 1:38).
Mary's motherhood is the model for all of us who want to embrace Jesus in faith. In imitating her response we are overshadowed with the same Spirit who overshadowed her. This is the Spirit of adoption who makes us cry "Abba! Father!" We become the younger brothers and sisters of Jesus, children of Mary by faith.
We might think that our status as sons and daughters would afford us special treatment in the world. But we can see that no special treatment was reserved even for Mary herself. Though all generations would call her blessed, she was first weak, hungry, and humble. Though she would be crowned in heaven a sword first pierced her own side. Neither biological relationship to Jesus nor faith exempted Mary from these things. Indeed she didn't want to be exempted. She wanted to share by faith as completely as she could in the mission of her son, to share even his suffering. In our own lives if we feel that the crowds have access to Jesus that we don't have and that we are forced to stand outside, let us not on that account tell ourselves that Jesus is distant or that we lack his favor. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and these crowds around him were the lost who needed him. He had to go forth from the Father and then from his mother to reach these crowds. But by the faith he offered them he would bring them back with him into familial relation with both the Father and with Mary.
Jesus refused to shut his ear to the cry of the poor. He pitied his neighbors that surrounded him in the crowds. Haughty eyes and proud hearts would insist on the privileges of relationship. But Jesus and Mary demonstrated hearts that were able to embrace the world because of their humility.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
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