Doing the will of God makes Jesus part of our family

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

+ Today ends a very short time spent in the book of Micah. As with all of the other prophets of the Old Testament, Micah expresses God’s displeasure. Micah announces God’s judgment and punishment for the people that eventually moved the people to repentance — which was exactly what the job of the prophet was all about. And in this case, it worked very well.

Total restoration is accomplished!

The book contains the wonder of salvation; and in fact, today, we close the book of Micah with words of good shepherding, inheritance, feeding like in familiar times and places, the removal of guilt, and delighting in God’s clemency.

The final two verses of the final chapter sum it all up perfectly —

“You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and loyalty to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our ancestors
from days of old.”

Jesus‘ words again amaze. Here he is speaking to crowds when he is alerted that his mother and his brothers were outside wanting to speak to him. One might assume that he did go out to speak with them, but before he did he said these almost startling yet at the same time remarkable words —

“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Then he stretched out his hands toward his disciples and elevated them precisely because of their discipleship, adding —

“Here are my mother and my brothers.”

For in their being disciples, they were opening to and learning the will of God the Father. And in doing the will of the Father, Jesus elevated them to actual spiritual familial relationship with himself —

“For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Therein lies also our invitation, call, promise, and salvation!