In today’s Gospel Jesus was informed of the visit of His parents and relatives while He was teaching. At that time, many had been accusing Him of being with the demon and not of His mind. Jesus was trying to explain to them the foolishness of their accusation. Why would Satan destroy his own? It’s difficult to blame them. They were in desperate need. Jesus was attracting numerous people. They must resort to all kinds of methods to destroy His reputation.

However, Jesus’ reaction to the arrival of His parents and brothers and sisters was revealing. “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

The importance of biological relations is crucial. However, spiritual ones are essential and vital. What are biological relations if spiritual relations are abandoned or neglected? After all, our destiny is not for this world, but for the next one. Paramount in life is the result of salvation.

I had heard a similar story about a priest who has become a bishop. The priest was well-loved by his people and was being sought for advice. Others simply wanted to meet him even for a few minutes to hear his wisdom after his mass. One day, after mass, his mother wanted to talk to him. He had not been to visit her for a long time. His mother missed him so much, so she decided to attend his mass and hoped to talk with him after. When she went to the sacristy after mass, she saw a large group of people who wanted to meet her son. Worried about the reaction of her son and cautious not to create an issue if she will storm ahead of the line (She is the mother, remember?), she took her place in the line! You can just imagine the reaction of his son when she saw her mother after waiting in line. This time, it was the mother who lived in what Jesus taught. Blood relations are not passes to benefit from opportunities and graces. We stand in line if we should. We are baptized Catholics, and God’s will is not always the same as ours. Nor is it fulfilled when we are close to ministers or serve in parishes. We have a life to cherish. More importantly, we have a faith that we must live. We have a God to follow. We have a destiny to reach.

Some of that have family that do not or will not accept our choice to belong to the church family or even to follow Jesus. Some will even take steps to argue or belittle you to keep you from giving your time to the family of Christ. But As I have said on other occasions Jesus is not going to ask you about them on judgement day, He is only going to ask you, “Did you give my family your best?” Jesus Did!