He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it” (Luke 8:21).

There are many popular genetic testing kits that are advertised on TV and through the internet. People have asked me is it possible to be a blood relation to Jesus. Jesus’ reply today can help you to save some money. Asking if we are a blood relation with Jesus is missing the point of Jesus’ life and ministry. What is important more important is “those who hear the word of God and act upon it.” God is to be first, even before our blood family. We may experience a subtle shudder from this statement but to those of Jesus’ time, it would have been apoplectic. Family meant everything in the Ancient Near East.

Jesus is not making the point that we disregard family, he is instead teaching us that if we are to be authentically present to our family this will come about best by following the will of his Father. As we deepen our relationship with Jesus, hear his word, and put his teachings into action, we begin to bear the relational fruits of the Spirit. Would not our familial relationships be much better if we were more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithful, gentle and practicing self-control? Jesus taught and showed from his own life that the path to fulfilling and intimate relationships flourish best when we put God first because as we grow closer in relationship with him, we also do so with those around us.

Another point we can glean from Jesus’ response in today’s Gospel is that our “family” is to transcend bloodline, tribe, and nation. Any one of “those who hear the word of God and act upon it” is spiritually akin to Jesus the Christ. The point is not that we have a genetic, lineal relation with Jesus, but that when we live and act according to his Father’s will, we are part of the universal family of God the Father.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we will act with more caring and kindness, seek common ground through dialogue, be more willing to walk with, be present and instead of judging, seek to understand one another. The bottom line is that we are to love one another as Jesus loves us! When we do so our lives are transformed.

To hear the word of God, we are to attune our hearts, minds, and souls to it as it is proclaimed during Mass, as well as read, meditate and pray with his word in daily. In both situations, God’s word comes alive as he shares something of himself. As we then receive, at times struggle with, seek to understand, and put into practice God’s word, we come to better know the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We continue to grow as one family in the Body of Christ when we regularly listen, hear, ponder, act upon, and allow God’s word to nurture and transform our lives.

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Photo: We can also hear the word of God in his book of creation.

The Mass readings for Tuesday, September 24, 2024