Those who hear the word of God and act on it

25 SEPTEMBER (Lk 8,19-21)

The kingdom of God is the exigency before which all other human needs must disappear. This truth is so proclaimed by St. Paul.

Now in regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. So this is what I think best because of the present distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife. If you marry, however, you do not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I would like to spare you that. I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away. I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction. If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, and if a critical moment has come and so it has to be, let him do as he wishes. He is committing no sin; let them get married. The one who stands firm in his resolve, however, who is not under compulsion but has power over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his virgin, will be doing well. So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, provided that it be in the Lord. She is more blessed, though, in my opinion, if she remains as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God. (1Cor 7,25-40).

Jesus lives a very special vocation: his every moment must be devoted to the kingdom of God. He is not allowed any distraction, any empty time, any deficiency in the commitment. Always, at every moment, he is obedient to the Father, always in his divine and holy will. Never might anybody else intervene in his life, direct his steps, orient his thoughts, guide his will, inspire purposes and intentions, move him toward this or that other direction.

Today, to Jesus is announced that his mother and brothers are standing outside and wish to see him. Jesus answers that his mother and brothers are all those who hear the Word of God and put it into practice. This answer must be understood in the truth of the Holy Spirit, in his wisdom and intelligence. Mother and brothers are not repudiated by Jesus. However, a great mission is given to them: being and always remaining, listening to the Word of God, in order to live with and through it all the days of their lives. The relationship with Jesus can take place only in the faith and for the faith.

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.”

Jesus is always from the Father and he must always be and remain from Him. He cannot be from another, even from the mother or his brothers. They must also be in the will of God, from his will, in order to enter into communion with Him. Our communion – Jesus teaches – can only take place in the obedience to God. The communion in the faith is obedience. If it is obedience it is also respect for the will of the Father. So that if the Father tells me to go and preach and to leave mother and brothers out, I have to go and preach. If they are in the will of the Father, they respect me that I have to go elsewhere with a perfect obedience. Everything is lived in obedience and God rules all in all.

Virgin Mary Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints teach us true communion.