The message in today’s Gospel is clear we who are baptized as children of God our Heavenly must do His Will. Only then do we have an true familial relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and with one another. Can we ever say that we do not know His will for us? At the very least, He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God. Micah 6:8
Let us take some time to reflect on who is our brother, sister and mother? Are they only in our immediate family? Our church? Ministry and community? Do we recognize as such the cashier at the grocery mart? The waiter and waitresses at the diners? The old lady or old man selling tissues at the train station? The disabled struggling to get in and out of the taxis? Are our eyes opened to see the fellow child of God in them? Baptized or Not!?
Our Good all merciful and loving Shepherd; Our Lord Jesus Christ has led us, His flock to pasture. Led us then with His mercy and grace Shepherd all our sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers into His Kingdom by our love. Amen
First reading
Micah 7:14-15,18-20 ·
Have pity on us one more time
With shepherd’s crook, O Lord, lead your people to pasture,
the flock that is your heritage,
living confined in a forest
with meadow land all around.
Let them pasture in Bashan and Gilead
as in the days of old.
As in the days when you came out of Egypt
grant us to see wonders.
What god can compare with you: taking fault away,
pardoning crime,
not cherishing anger for ever
but delighting in showing mercy?
Once more have pity on us,
tread down our faults,
to the bottom of the sea
throw all our sins.
Grant Jacob your faithfulness,
and Abraham your mercy,
as you swore to our fathers
from the days of long ago.
Gospel
Matthew 12:46-50
My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven
Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’
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