The Family of Faith

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to ponder the understanding of our relationship to Christ as brothers and sisters in faith, hope, and love who continue His Way of relationship with all people.

Family and Faith

The Reading from the Prophet Micah is a prayer that God will care for the people as in ancient days.

* [7:14–17] A prayer that God will care for the people as in ancient days (v. 14) is answered (vv. 15–17) when the Lord promises to do marvelous things. The nations shall be afraid and turn to the Lord.

* [7:18–20] The final lines of the book contain a hymn of praise for the incomparable God, who pardons sin and delights in mercy. Thus the remnant, those left after the exile, is confident in God’s compassion and in the ancient promises sworn to the ancestors. (Micah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 85 presents a national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness.

* [Psalm 85] A national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness (Ps 85:2–4) and begging for forgiveness and grace now (Ps 85:5–8). A speaker represents the people who wait humbly with open hearts (Ps 85:9–10): God will be active on their behalf (Ps 85:11–13). The situation suggests the conditions of Judea during the early postexilic period, the fifth century B.C.; the thoughts are similar to those of postexilic prophets (Hg 1:5–11; 2:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus proclaims The True Family of Jesus.

* [12:46–50] See Mk 3:31–35. Matthew has omitted Mk 3:20–21 which is taken up in Mk 3:31 (see note on Mt 12:22–32), yet the point of the story is the same in both gospels: natural kinship with Jesus counts for nothing; only one who does the will of his heavenly Father belongs to his true family.

* [12:47] This verse is omitted in some important textual witnesses, including Codex Sinaiticus (original reading) and Codex Vaticanus. (Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “My mother through faith,” by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD).

"If someone can become the brother of the Lord by coming to faith, we must ask how one can become also his mother. We must realize that the one who is Christ's brother and sister by believing becomes his mother by preaching. It is as though one brings forth the Lord and infuses him in the hearts of one's listeners. And that person becomes his mother if through one's voice the love of the Lord is generated in the mind of his neighbor. (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 3.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Prophet Micah speaks the Lord as shepherd of Israel with a staff that indicates the original territories will be returned to Israel. Just as the people can see the faithfulness of the promises, God is always faithful. Matthew declares the mother and brothers of Jesus are those who do the will of the Father. We belong as brothers and sisters of Jesus by faith more than blood. Catholics consider the “brothers and sisters” in the Gospel are cousins often as close as siblings in Jesus' time. Orthodox Christians accept they are half brothers and sisters through the remarriage of Joseph. Some Protestant communities hold they are full brothers and sisters. Friar Jude notes that Roman Catholics hold to an ancient tradition of Jesus as the only son of Mary.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 comments that in the centuries after Micah, God did show the people marvelous signs when they cried out to him. But all these signs found their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.

The signs are all around. And like the signs that Micah prayed for, they are all meant to point you to the greatest and most powerful of all signs: the sign of a Savior who gave up his very life to set you free.

God has done wonderful things for us. May we never grow weary of recalling them. And may we never forget his most powerful marvel: the sign of his cross!

“Lord, I am amazed at all that you have done and continue to do in my life!” (Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, recounts how he came to know the work of Thomas Merton (1915–1968). Amidst the societal disruptions of the 1960s, it was not enough for him to simply pray. He also devoted himself to action—writing, teaching, and collaborating with others—though he never lost his deep yearning for solitude and contemplation. [1]

The monastic flight from the world [or what Father Richard calls ‘the system’] into the desert is not a mere refusal to know anything about the world, but a total rejection of all standards of judgment which imply attachment to a history of delusion, egoism and sin … a definitive refusal to participate in those activities which have no other fruit than to prolong the reign of untruth, greed, cruelty and arrogance…. 

Therefore it seems to me to be a solemn obligation of conscience at this moment of history to take the positions which are … in vital relation with the obligations I assumed when I took my monastic vows. To have a vow of poverty seems to me illusory if I do not in some way identify myself with the cause of people who are denied their rights and forced, for the most part, to live in abject misery. To have a vow of obedience seems to me to be absurd if it does not imply a deep concern for the most fundamental of all expressions of God’s will: the love of [God’s] truth and of our neighbor. [2]

References:

[1] Adapted from Richard Rohr, The Art of Letting Go: Living the Wisdom of Saint Francis, (Sounds True, 2010).

[2] Adapted from Thomas Merton, Seeds of Destruction (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1980), xiii, xiv–xv, xv–xvi. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to inform our faith and action with the understanding of family as expressed by Jesus to his society and in our mission to act as members of a community that seeks to do the “will of the Father”.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/12? 

Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/21/1627733/ 

Micah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/micah/7? 

Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Thomas Merton: A Monk in Action. Thomas Merton: A Monk in Action. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/thomas-merton-a-monk-in-action/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Are My Brothers and Sisters? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Living as People of God

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the way we can follow the Will of God in our relationship to others and Nature.

The waters recede

 

The reading from the Book of Exodus describes the rout of the Egyptians during which the pursuers are drowned.

* [15:1–21] This poem, regarded by many scholars as one of the oldest compositions in the Bible, was once an independent work. It has been inserted at this important juncture in the large narrative of Exodus to celebrate God’s saving power, having miraculously delivered the people from their enemies, and ultimately leading them to the promised land.1

 

  The response from Exodus praises God who brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession.

Although the victory it describes over the Egyptians at the sea bears a superficial resemblance in v. 8 to the preceding depiction of the water standing like a wall (14:22), the poem (as opposed to the following prose verse, v. 19) suggests a different version of the victory at sea than that found in chap. 14. There is no splitting of the sea in an act reminiscent of the Lord’s combat at creation with the sea monsters Rahab and Leviathan (Jb 9:13; 26:12; Ps 74:13–14; 89:11; Is 51:9–10); nor is there mention of an east wind driving the waters back so that the Israelites can cross. In this version it is by means of a storm at sea, caused by a ferocious blast from his nostrils, that the Lord achieves a decisive victory against Pharaoh and his army (vv. 1–12). The second half of the poem (vv. 13–18) describes God’s guidance into the promised land.2 

In the Gospel of Matthew we ponder who are the true kindred of Jesus.

* [12:46–50] See Mk 3:31–35. Matthew has omitted Mk 3:20–21 which is taken up in Mk 3:31 (see note on Mt 12:22–32), yet the point of the story is the same in both gospels: natural kinship with Jesus counts for nothing; only one who does the will of his heavenly Father belongs to his true family.3 

Scott McClure shares that when it comes to contributing to Creighton's Online Ministries through writing these scriptural reflections, he feels quite inadequate, not to mention unqualified.

this whole train of thought is so self-centered when, in truth, this or any other labor in which we engage is not truly about us. Glory for any triumph is not ours but God's. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord swept the sea - not Moses. Further, the Lord saved Israel - not Moses. Here, it seems that Moses's outstretched hand was not so much a gesture of power but, rather, of surrender to the power of God.  Too often, perhaps, we live wrestling with our inadequacies, our failures, our shortcomings. These are the brushstrokes that paint an unsatisfying picture of ourselves to behold. But there is hope. And that hope does not rest in ourselves but in God. God labors with us, through us, and for us. God offers the perpetual invitation to do his will and, as Jesus says, be [his] brother, and sister, and mother. Like Moses, may we too surrender to God's will and so glorify him.4 

Don Schwager quotes “My mother through faith,” by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD).

"If someone can become the brother of the Lord by coming to faith, we must ask how one can become also his mother. We must realize that the one who is Christ's brother and sister by believing becomes his mother by preaching. It is as though one brings forth the Lord and infuses him in the hearts of one's listeners. And that person becomes his mother if through one's voice the love of the Lord is generated in the mind of his neighbor. (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 3.2)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 12:46-50 comments that none of us are perfect. Just as we don’t always live up to our family responsibilities, we will sometimes fail to live up to the daily challenges of doing our Father’s will. Even when that happens, there is no room for fear. Our heavenly Father is not only loving but merciful as well. He will forgive us and give us every opportunity to try again.

Today, reflect on the fact that you are a beloved member of God’s family. Your heavenly Father cares for you more than the best earthly father ever could. He has an amazing plan for your life: as his son or daughter, you’re given the privilege of helping to build his kingdom on earth. May you always remember who you are and to whom you belong! “Holy Spirit, help me to know in my heart that I am the Father’s child!”6 

Friar Jude Winkler describes the experience of the Exodus as an act of God. The Song of Moses in Exodus can be dated to the time of Moses. Friar Jude explains Roman Catholic Tradition that brothers and sisters can be references to cousins in Aramaic and Hebrew languages.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Diana Butler Bass shares how Jesus’ teaching “on the mount” placed him in the lineage of Moses and other revered Jewish prophets. Jesus builds on his own Jewish tradition to call his hearers to transformative living. The German preacher and religious reformer Eberhard Arnold (1883–1935) believed that the people who heard Jesus’ message—both in his own time as well as ours—were obligated to act on the ancient call of God to live the Great Commandment, not simply listen to it.

Near the end of the sermon, Jesus states the Golden Rule, the foundation of all the commandments: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and prophets” (7:12). . . . The crowds got it—Jesus the rabbi was at work renewing and reinterpreting the law and, in the process, claiming the divine authority to do so: a teacher and a prophet. . . .Jesus does not replace. Jesus reimagines and expands, inviting an alternative and often innovative reading of Jewish tradition. [1] It is incredible dishonesty in the human heart to pray daily that this kingdom should come, that God’s will be done on earth as in heaven, and at the same time to deny that Jesus wants this kingdom to be put into practice on earth. Whoever asks for the rulership of God to come down on earth must believe in it and be wholeheartedly resolved to carry it out. Those who emphasize that the Sermon on the Mount is impractical and weaken its moral obligations should remember the concluding words, “Not all who say ‘Lord’ to me shall reach the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven” [Matthew 7:21]. [2]7 

The Will of God is expressed to us through the Spirit opening Jesus' teaching to guide our journey.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Exodus, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/15
2	(n.d.). Exodus, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/15
3	(n.d.). Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/12
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/072021.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=jul20
6	2021, July 20). Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr (Optional Memorial) - Mass .... Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/07/20/190368/
7	(2021, July 18). The Sermon on the Mount Archives — Center for Action and .... Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://cac.org/themes/the-sermon-on-the-mount/

 

Let it be

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today nudge us to be open to discern how God may be calling us to be bearers of New Life through surrender to His Will.

Let it be His Way

The reading from the Prophet Isaiah confronts Ahaz with the sign of Immanuel (Emmanuel).

* [7:14] Isaiah’s sign seeks to reassure Ahaz that he need not fear the invading armies of Syria and Israel in the light of God’s promise to David (2 Sm 7:12–16). The oracle follows a traditional announcement formula by which the birth and sometimes naming of a child is promised to particular individuals (Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3). The young woman: Hebrew ‘almah designates a young woman of marriageable age without specific reference to virginity. The Septuagint translated the Hebrew term as parthenos, which normally does mean virgin, and this translation underlies Mt 1:23. Emmanuel: the name means “with us is God.” Since for the Christian the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God’s willingness to “be with us,” it is understandable that this text was interpreted to refer to the birth of Christ.1

Psalm 24 is a hymn for entrance into the Temple.

* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15).2

In the Gospel of Luke, the Birth of Jesus is foretold to Mary.

* [1:26–38] The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).3 

Tom Shanahan, S.J. comments on the special relationship between cousins in the response of Mary to hearing of the pregnancy of Elizabeth.

The interchange between Mary and Elizabeth is simple yet profound. Cousins, they come together at this special time. They share together the wonders of bearing a child. And we are given a share of that wonder as we await the goodness of Jesus who comes in our lives.
The interchange between Mary and Elizabeth is simple yet profound. Cousins, they come together to share the life-giving experience of motherhood together and to be of service to each other as they bear in their wombs the two who will make such a profound influence on their lives. John and Jesus linked together even before their births in a bond of kinship and promise.
Le our expectations flourish as we approach the feast of Christmas. Advent gives us the invitation to patience in discovering the wonderful goodness of God. God sets his sights on our need of forgiveness and mercy.4 

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus is Son of God and Son of Mary,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"We should carefully note the order of the words here, and the more firmly they are engrafted in our heart, the more evident it will be that the sum total of our redemption consists in them. For they proclaim with perfect clarity that the Lord Jesus, that is, our Savior, was both the true Son of God the Father and the true Son of a mother who was a human being. 'Behold,' he says, 'you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son' - acknowledge that this true human being assumed the true substance of flesh from the flesh of the Virgin! 'He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High' - confess too that this same Son is true God of true God, co-eternal Son forever of the eternal Father!" (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.3.22)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:26-38 reflects that Mary continued to ponder the significance of “full of grace” and what the “power of the Most High” overshadowing her might mean (Luke 1:28, 35). Surely she turned her thoughts to bearing a child destined to be “called holy, the Son of God” (1:35). She had accepted God’s words, and now it was time to let those words grow and take shape in her heart, even as the child grew and took shape in her womb.

Life will return to normal. But like Mary, you can hold on to these things and continue to ponder them. Maybe start writing down some of the ways you have seen God working—perhaps the time you felt more at peace in Mass or when you were able to say no to a persistent temptation. You can write out a Scripture verse from Mass that struck you or a prayer intention that you want to keep offering. Then, when the “normal days” come, you can keep pondering these words and let Jesus grow in you.6 

Friar Jude Winkler explains the reluctance of King Ahaz to respond to the sign of Emmanuel. The perfect tense of the Greek in the greeting of Gabriel is key to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Friar Jude shares the role of Mary as the Ark of the Covenant.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites CAC staff member, Ron H. that it is clearer than ever that the antidote to the soul sickness of addiction in all its forms is the awakened spirit.

This fact is there in plain sight in the steps. The second step holds out the hope for a restoration to sanity. From the addict’s point of view, it is hope for the same thing that the drugs provided in their own way: a shift in how life looks and feels. After the cleaning up of the first three steps, the growing up of the fourth through the tenth, there is the waking up, the eleventh step’s prescription of seeking to improve conscious contact with God. We go full circle back home. In my case, when the twelfth step looks back and observes that the result of this journey has been an awakening of spirit, it is referring to my restoration to the sanity of that little boy, head bowed, earnestly seeking and sometimes experiencing the contact that progressively awakens. And having had that awakening, the step says, now show up for the next one who needs a roadmap and a companion on that journey from disorder to reorder.7 

The surrender of Mary to the Will of God is our model to experience an awakened Spirit in on our journey with Jesus.

References

1	(n.d.). Isaiah, chapter 7 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/7
2	(n.d.). Psalm 24 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24
3	(n.d.). Luke, chapter 1 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/1
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/12/20/
7	(2019, December 20). Reorder — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://cac.org/reorder-2019-12-20/