July 24, 2018
Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ex 14:21—15:1
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you."
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
"Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother."
Faith that brings miracles
Miracles are happening all around us. If we do not see them, blame our vision, because God has not yet stopped performing miracles. In fact, we are miracles and we are surrounded by miracles. When our inner eyes are open we see them! If we go through the commentaries written on the ten miracles performed by Moses and the crossing of the red sea, experts tell us that whatever happened there was nothing extraordinary or unprecedented or supernatural. All that happened were natural phenomena that often take place in that region. If that is true, should we conclude that religion sans miracles has no meaning or relevance? Unfortunately, there are many religious people, even priests, who base their faith on ‘spurious’ miracles. They concoct miracles and attract public attention. These miracle-mongers get irritated and violent if anybody challenges or gives scientific explanations to what they project and promote as great miracles. These miracle-mongers closely watch every statue to see if they are bleeding or drinking milk. It is this sort of silly believers who make religion so childish and a laughingstock to those who use their brain. Reason has no place in their religion and faith. They refuse to recognize that brain and reasoning power are true miracles and the greatest gifts we have received from God.
Today’s Gospel presents a similar situation in which Jesus refuse to go out and meet his mother and brothers who came to seize him and take him back home, because they feared that he was heading towards big trouble. Some people draw on this incident to discredit mother Mary saying that Jesus disowned her publically. They point to other similar dealings of Jesus where Jesus exhibited a kind of detachment or indifference towards his mother. If people cling to texts outside their context this kind of misunderstandings often occur. Words should be understood on the basis of the spirit in which they are spoken. Mary was always fully committed to the will of God. It was her generous ‘fiat’ that brought Jesus into this world. We cannot see anybody like her who was totally available to plan and program of God. Her statement, “Here I am, the handmaid of the Lord, let it happen to me according to your word” makes her the first and the best disciple of Jesus. Even when he showed careless attitude towards her demand she never pushed her will. She let him decide for himself. It is such people who bring home miracles!
Dr Kurian Perumpallikunnel CMI
