being from hearing and doing
Jesus "told them in reply, 'My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and act upon it.' " —Luke 8:21
We can be Jesus' mother, brothers, and sisters if we hear God's Word and act on it. We can be in Jesus' immediate family and be so close to Him that He lives in us and we in Him (see Jn 6:56) — if only we hear (Ps 81:14) and do the Word of God.
However, we find it humanly impossible to hear God's Word. To hear His still, small voice (1 Kgs 19:12ff), we would have to be still and know that He is God (see Ps 46:11). To open our ears to His Word, we must stop our ears lest we hear of bloodshed (Is 33:15) and other things not of God. To hear God's Word, we must repent of not hearing God and then renew our baptismal promises, for in Baptism we were given the supernatural power of hearing God's Word.
After we hear God's Word, we must do His Word. "Act on this word. If all you do is listen to it, you are deceiving yourselves" (Jas 1:22). Doing God's Word requires the miracle of repentance from the selfishness of apathy and rebellion against God. Doing God's Word requires submission to the Lord and rebellion against Satan's tyranny. To do God's Word, we must say with Mary: "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me" according to God's Word (Lk 1:38).
By His grace, hear and do God's Word. Be mother, sister, and brother to Jesus.
Prayer: Father, give me the ears and hands of Jesus' mother, Mary.
Promise: "May the God Who causes His name to dwell there overthrow every king or people who may undertake to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem." —Ezr 6:12
Praise: Rita made a point of reading One Bread, One Body and "heard" God's Word for the first time.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Hearing God, or on audio AV 45-1 or video V-45.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 4, 2013
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