Daily Readings Reflection for 7/21/09

Reflection on the Daily Readings for 7/21/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings



Scripture: Tue of 16th week. Exodus 14:21-15:1. Resp. Exodus
15:8-9.10.12.17.   Matthew 12:46-50. Lectionary # 396:

While Jesus is teaching and addressing the crowd, members of his family are
searching for him.  Among them is his mother Mary.  She always is seeking
to find him both as her Son and in her faith perception as the one whom God
has specially chosen to be born of her and of no one else.  Matthew has
given us the first Gospel that states her virginity and the virgin birth of
Jesus, her first born.  (See Matthew 1:16; 1:18-25).  She already has
experienced having lost him at the age of twelve; now he has separated
himself from her to do the will of his Father. She desires to always be in
his presence and who would not?  But since his active ministry has begun,
the occasions are rare for them to be together.  Maybe the wedding at Cana
was the last time she saw him. (John 2:1-12).

Mary becomes part of his teaching as she and the relatives are approaching.
It is a teaching on discipleship that is based on always doing the will of
God.  Even though we do not have a direct reference to her in this
narrative, nevertheless. her appearance and approach leads him to talk
about who are his brothers, sisters, and even mother.The lesson is meant
for the crowd and not for Mary.  Jesus wants everyone to come to listen to
him as he speaks of doing God's will and reforming one's life so as to
become followers who are aware that the kingdom of God is here. Mary is not
only his mother. She is also his first and best disciple.  She conceived
and brought Jesus up so that he grew is wisdom, knowledge, and grace before
God and God's people.  She already had learned that a disciple does the
will of God and says "Yes" to God on every decision to be made.  As we
follow her throughout the New Testament we come to see this more clearly;
so did the Evangelists and their successors.

We too are in search of Jesus and when we are doing God's will we
experience a sense of the real presence of God in our lives and are joyful
even amidst our sorrows and sufferings.  We then become what Jesus wants us
to be, namely, brother, sister, and even mother to him after the example of
Mary.  She will show us how to approach our pilgrimage of faith through her
own. "Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." She did more
than that by bearing the Word of God for nine months and then living every
moment of her life for the sake of her son. Amen.