The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
At the top of the list of Blood relatives is our brother Jesus. So, what is it like to have God for a brother?
Recall the best time you ever had with an earthly relative. Remember the camaraderie, the companionship, and the secrets you shared. Remember how you could relax in that relationship, assured that nothing would ever shatter the bond you felt. Remember playing together, laughing together, crying together, complaining about whatever was unfair, and remember the sympathy you received along with some advice that lifted you out of your bad mood.
As I meditate on my relationship with my brother Jesus, I can’t help but reflect on my biological siblings. I was extremely blessed to have 5 brothers and 2 sisters. My oldest brother and sister were already married and living in their own homes by the time I was born, so sadly, I didn’t get to grow up alongside them and have the opportunity to share the experiences with them that I had with the four brothers I did grow up with.
Whenever I was experiencing spiritual difficulties or doubts about my faith, I could always turn to Bob for his help and guidance. His faith in Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church was unwavering his entire life. I could absolutely count on him to put me back on the right path towards Jesus just when I needed the redirection the most. His absolute love of the Eucharist was a shining example to all of us. Very much like St. Peter, I think.
In the practical everyday matters of life, Dick had been there and done that. He had a no-nonsense approach to life and usually kept a cool head in times of crisis. He had a knack for getting to the source of my practical difficulties and suggesting solutions. He was my go-to guy when I needed to stay rational and sane. His approach to life was very much like St. Nathaniel—no nonsense, no duplicity in his advice to me.
Bill’s special gifts are his compassion and sensitivity toward his fellow human beings, especially family, and his humility. Bill has a talent for listening. I mean really listening. He is the brother I seek out when I have an emotional issue to deal with. He also has a very practical outlook on life that I admire. I often think of Bill as a composite of the best traits in both Bob and Dick. His simple love of God and humanity reminds me a lot of St. John.
What I admired most about Tom was his joy in being alive. There was nothing he wouldn’t try, regardless of the consequences. His spontaneity in life and his loyalty to his friends are his legacy, as far as I’m concerned. We were the closest in age and the two youngest, so our bond was extra-strength in relation to our older brothers. He was so much like his namesake, St. Thomas; he doubted a lot of things in his life, but once he believed in something or someone, he was all-in.
A very large reason why we were all so different, yet loyal to one another is that our Mom and Dad allowed us to be who we were meant to be, gently—and sometimes not so gently—nudging us in the direction we needed to go to discern and follow the will of God.
Do you give Jesus daily opportunities to be a brother like that?
Do you spend enough time alone with your Brother to strengthen your relationship with Him? Do you allow Him to be your closest companion and confidant? Do you share your deepest secrets with Him? When was the last time you were playful with Him? Do you tell Him about whatever strikes you as funny or silly so that you laugh together? Do you cry on His shoulder and complain to Him instead of sinning by taking your complaints to everyone else who will listen? Do you sit quietly in prayer long enough to feel His sympathy? Do you pay attention to His advice, which is readily available in Scripture and other avenues of revelation?
Using the same logic we use to determine that Jesus is our brother, we also must conclude that His mother is also our mother. There should be no doubt that as Mary listened to those words of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel with her perfect faith she understood and was filled with joy. It was her perfect “Yes” to God that enabled her to understand all that Jesus said. Consequently, this enabled Mary to claim the holy title of “Mother” far more than her blood relation. Her blood relation is no doubt greatly significant, but her spiritual bond is so much more.
My mom had no trouble sharing the title of “Mother” with Mary as she raised my brothers and me. From my earliest memories, we were taught to seek out the intercession of the Blessed Mother to our brother Jesus through the recitation of the Rosary, and the meditations on the life of her Son. As I’ve stated many times before, the faith I have in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the best gift from God that my mother “unwrapped” for me through my Baptism and beyond.
No comments:
Post a Comment