Gospel (Lk 8:19-21)

Then his mother and his brothers came to Jesus, but they could not reach him for the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Commentary

We see Jesus sitting surrounded by a crowd of people, whom he is instructing with his word. He himself is the divine Word made flesh, like the lamp that should not be hidden under a vessel, but that, placed on a lampstand (cf. Lk 8:16), illuminates the consciences of all men and women. We find ourselves among that crowd. We want to be like Samuel, of whom Scripture says that his closeness and attention to the Lord was so great when he was growing up that none of the words God addressed to him fell on deaf ears (cf. 1 Sam 3:19); or like Mary of Bethany, “who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching” (Lk 10:39).

Unexpectedly, some of those present interrupt Jesus to tell Him that his mother and other relatives are outside. They are looking for Him, perhaps because the conversation has gone on longer than expected. For this had already happened frequently. The people enjoyed listening to the teacher from Nazareth; all “were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes” (Mk 1:22). Jesus takes advantage of the interruption to reveal something unexpected: true kinship with Jesus requires, more than ties of blood, listening to his words with care.

This is what Mary, the mother of Jesus, did. Before conceiving Jesus in her womb, she listened attentively to God, pondered his words in her heart, and put them into practice. And thus she bore the virginal fruit of the Son of God himself. Mary is a model for all of Jesus’ disciples. By listening to Him and identifying ourselves with his teachings, we become not only his disciples but brothers and sisters of Jesus, children of the same Father. Only in this way can we bear fruit, helping many people to discover their kinship with God, their divine filiation. As Saint Josemaría insisted: “No son or daughter of Holy Church can lead a quiet life, without concern for the anonymous masses – a mob, a herd, a flock, as I once wrote. How many noble passions they have within their apparent listlessness! How much potential!” (Saint Josemaría, The Forge, no. 901).