THESE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS

Pr 21,1-6.10-13; Ps 118; Lk 8,19-21
25 SEPTEMBER
The Book of Exodus reveals that one day Moses was visited by Jero, his father-in-law. This, observing how much his son-in-law did, approached him and offered him some wise advice. But then he sent him back to his God, so that he were the one to confirm or declare his words vain. We know that Moses listened to what his father-in-law had manifested him and gave his people a new order of governance. The Lord had spoken to him indirectly.

The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, who waited about him from morning until evening. When his father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he inquired, “What sort of thing is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone while all the people have to stand about you from morning till evening?” Moses answered his father-in-law, “The people come to me to consult God. Whenever they have a disagreement, they come to me to have me settle the matter between them and make known to them God’s decisions and regulations.” “You are not acting wisely,” his father-in-law replied. “You will surely wear yourself out, and not only yourself but also these people with you. The task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, that God may be with you. Act as the people’s representative before God, bringing to him whatever they have to say. Enlighten them in regard to the decisions and regulations, showing them how they are to live and what they are to do. But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Let these men render decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. More important cases they should refer to you, but all the lesser cases they can settle themselves. Thus, your burden will be lightened, since they will bear it with you. If you do this, when God gives you orders you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law and did all that he had suggested. He picked out able men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. They rendered decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. The more difficult cases they referred to Moses, but all the lesser cases they settled themselves. Then Moses bade farewell to his father-in-law, who went off to his own country (Ex 18,13-27).

Jesus is not Moses. He receives every “command” from his Father, through the Holy Spirit. There are no indirect ways through which the Lord speaks to him. He is always listening to the Father to do only his will. If his relatives come, they certainly do not come to give him a help of knowledge or wisdom. They come to distract him from doing the will of the Father. We say this because Jesus cannot take one minute away from God. He has given his whole life to the Father in its every moment and in its every moment it must be led and guided by his divine will. Even a second spent conversing with his parents, would have been a second subtracted from God. Not even this Jesus might do. Never might he use what is of the Father’s will according to his will. Who is then Mother, brother and sister of Jesus? Whoever helps him so that he does all the will of the Father. Who does not help him, who distracts him, who tempts him certainly is neither his mother, nor his brother and nor his sister. He comes only so that He falls into temptation and gives to man what must be given only to his God and Father. Jesus must pay all attention so that he does not fall into this subtle temptation. It is an invisible temptation, but a true temptation. It must be overcome and defeated.

Then his mother 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.”

If we read our life from the most pure conscience of Jesus, we will discover that we subtract from the Lord not seconds, not minutes, not hours, not days, not weeks and not even months. We take years and years and often the whole life away from him. We are not from his will and often not even from his Law. We are from us and from our thoughts.

Faithful Virgin, Angels and Saints, give us the conscience of Christ to be faithful to the Father.