Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (12: 46-50) in which Jesus says, ‘whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother’.

Fr Paul says in this gospel Matthew redefines family relationships in the context of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus’ response to being told that his mother and brothers are outside seeking him seems to distance him from his biological family. However, the Church teaches that Jesus is not rejecting his mother Mary, but rather expanding the understanding of family and motherhood.

In the Kingdom of God, the bonds of family are transformed and elevated. Biological relationships are not negated but take on a deeper spiritual meaning. Jesus teaches that those who do the will of the Heavenly Father are his true “mother and brothers.”

Mary herself exemplifies this new understanding, as she is the model of one who perfectly does God’s will. Her spiritual motherhood extends to all who follow Christ.

Thus, Jesus is not rejecting his earthly family, but revealing a new family based on the will of God, of which Mary is the preeminent member. This expands the understanding of family relationships in the Kingdom to be rooted in the spiritual bond of doing God’s will, rather than just biological ties.

So, today, Fr Paul invites us to ask ourselves, ‘In my heart of hearts – how well do I respond to God’s will?’