"FOR HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED AND TO HIM 

ALL THINGS MUST BE SUBJECT AND GOD LOVES ALL

CREATURE, IN AND BECAUSED OF CHRIST."    

                                  —Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people

With your staff, shepherd the flock of your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub,

in the midst of a fertile land. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, in the days when you went out of Egypt.

Who is a God like you, who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant of his inheritance?

Who is like you whose anger does not last? For you delight in merciful forgiveness. 

Once again you will show us your loving kindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

 

Ps 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8

 Lord, show us your mercy and love.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Matthew 12:46-50

While Jesus was talking to the people, his mother and his brothers wanted to speak to him, and they waited outside.

So someone said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you."

Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said,

"Look! Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

We are all connected through our faith in God.

We often hear the saying "blood is thicker than water" when navigating our complex loyalties towards our family and friends.

It's entirely natural for us to want to prioritize and protect those we love,

especially when it comes to safeguarding our family's well-being.

 

When people approached Jesus about his mother and relatives waiting for him outside the synagogue,

it beautifully highlighted our instinctive human bonds. Yet,

Jesus gently reminded his listeners of a more profound truth: in the eyes of faith,

we are all brothers and sisters, united with God as our Father. This perspective expands

our understanding of family beyond biological ties; we are all connected through

our faith in God and the Gospel values that guide our daily lives.

 

In light of this, we can take a moment to reflect on our relationships with our brothers and sisters in faith.

Are we recognizing and embracing the presence of God's image in one another?

Let us strive to cultivate those connections with compassion and understanding.