Aren’t we the lucky ones? It is patently obvious to the meanest observer that we deserve the brunt of Our Lord’s wrath and blazing anger. And equally is it apparent that Divine Justice demands we be doomed forever in the bottomless abyss for our many sins that are brighter than crimson with our guilt writ large upon our faces. Yet, despite the damning evidence, Our God is full of compassion, treading our guilt underfoot, casting our sins into the depths of the sea and showing us love and mercy by placing the awful crushing weight of our collective sins on the blemish less Lamb of God, who was born in order to pay the price of our redemption. His gratuitous love soars high above and goes far beyond, not satisfied with restoring us into communion, He points to us and suddenly, we are elevated into sonship and daughtership!
Thy Kin We Become!
In today’s gospel, we see Jesus spurning no opportunity to teach His disciples (and us, thank you Saint Matthew). In response to the one who tells Our Lord that his mother and brothers are on the outside looking in and desirous of a word with Him, he points at the multitude surrounding him and says:
“Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
And with one fell swoop, all of us become members of God’s family! There is only one tiny catch. Doing the will of the Father. I think the tendency of many is to immediately conclude that surely it is I, Lord, who does your will? Blessed are you if you truly and truthfully do so. For you are one of the lucky ones whose name is written in heaven. The rest of us have to emulate your example. We need to crush the head of the serpent that whispers lies and deception in the guise of pleasure and decadent luxury until we end up doing Our Will instead of the Divine and placidly float down the river that leads to destruction. For the Tempter is like a roaring lion, hatching evil stratagems and machinations and luring us to perdition. May Our Lady, Virgin Potens, Saint Joseph, Terror of Demons and Saint Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Hosts cast Satan into Hell and protect us from being lulled into a false sense of complacency.
Honor Your Mother
What about Our Lady, though? Jesus was surely not snubbing His Blessed Mother, was He? Sift the evidence. Is there anyone who fulfills the will of Our Father more perfectly than her? Jesus isn’t blithely breaking the Fourth Commandment! As the curtain came down on His brief life, even as Jesus emptied himself for you and for me, His precious blood ebbing away from his body on the cross, Our Lady was at His side despite the sword that pierced her own heart. And with his dying breath, Jesus entrusts His immaculate mother to his beloved disciple. And to us in a final honoring gesture.
One Family in Christ
Today we were at a funeral Mass at church. My wife pointed to the words on the Mass program: Thank you for being the family of Ken.
Ken Tanner had no family of his own, for he had never married and had no children.
The long-time sacristan was always to be found at the Church, diligently coaching budding altar servers. He knew each by name and his marvelous voice was legendary. Everybody knew Ken and Ken knew everybody. And his love for Jesus Christ shone in everything he did. And here we were, his spiritual family, praying fervently for his soul as he prepared to face his Maker.
Ken’s lived example is a fitting conclusion to this reflection. For we are the body of Christ. One big universal family. A communion of saints in heaven and in the making, and we are yoked to each other in Christ. Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done. Amen!
