“Standing Outside” by Melanie Rigney

“Standing Outside” by Melanie Rigney

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the tillage of the wicked is sin. (Provers 21:4)

Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands. (Psalm 119:35)

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” (Luke 8:19-21)

Piety

Jesus, I accept Your challenge of joining the family by hearing and acting on God’s word.

Study

They couldn’t get to Jesus physically because of the crowd, and someone didn’t think that was right. Jesus’s response comes off as a little cold to us: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

But if we consider it in a different light, the response is welcoming and comforting.

It wasn’t that Jesus was indifferent to his mother or other family members—remember, He was fully human and fully divine. But he knew they didn’t have to with Him physically to be with Him spiritually. And in those words, He opened up an invitation to His family to all—blood relatives or not.

As Catholics, we have the gift of a physical connection with Jesus each time we receive the Eucharist. For some of us, that is not possible amid the pandemic. But we still can be part of His family. We show our acceptance of God’s word every time we pray; every time we obey; every time we help those in physical, spiritual, or emotional need. We needn’t stand outside unless we’d rather live—and die—that way.   

Action

Help someone in need today, with a listening ear or something more tangible. Tell the person Brother Jesus sent you.

 

Image credit: Quang Nguyen vinh from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/photos/lonely-boat-ocean-coast-shore-3062045/