Reflection for September 22 Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 8:19-21

Gospel: Luke 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus 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.”

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Reflection:

Do we consider ourselves relatives of Jesus?

Very clearly, Jesus tells us that we can be called His relatives when we hear His word and act on it. But what if we do not hear His word and do not act on it? Does this mean that we are no longer related to Jesus?

For example, if we have a wayward relative who does not listen to our advice, would we treat that person as no longer our relative? Would we condemn that person to eternal damnation? Of course not!

Jesus made the statement, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it,” to convey a message to the crowd and to us as well. He reminds us that being close to Him is not merely about calling ourselves His followers. It is about listening to His word, allowing it to touch our hearts, and putting it into practice through the way we live.

But human as we are, we sometimes wander away. We fall into sin, become distracted by the things of this world, and distance ourselves from Jesus. There are moments when we fail to listen to His voice and choose our own ways instead. Yet even when we turn away, Jesus does not turn away from us.

The bond of love remains. Jesus continues to seek us. He patiently waits for our return and gently calls us back to Himself. He does not delight in our distance from Him; rather, He longs for us to come home. His arms are always ready to embrace us again, and His mercy is always greater than our sins.

If we are sinners—as we all are—let us never believe that we are beyond the reach of Jesus' love. Our sins may distance us from Him, but they do not erase His love for us. Whenever we fall, we can rise again. Whenever we wander, we can return. Whenever we become lost, Jesus continues to call us by love.

Let us therefore listen to His word not only with our ears but also with our hearts. Let us allow His word to transform the way we think, speak, forgive, love, and treat one another. For when we hear His word and live by it, we become more deeply united with Him and with one another as members of His spiritual family.

May we never become so conscious of our sins that we forget the mercy of Jesus, nor so confident in ourselves that we forget our need for Him. Instead, may we always have the humility to return to Him, the courage to repent, and the faith to trust in His unfailing love.

Are we truly listening to Jesus' word and allowing it to change the way we live, or have we allowed sin and the distractions of life to distance us from Him? And today, will we open our hearts, return to Jesus, and allow Him to embrace us once again?—Marino J. Dasmarinas