20/01/2024

The readings designated for today's mass do not have the continuity that they seem to have on some days. The news of Saul's defeat does not bring any joy to David who is a reluctant rebel to begin with.

He is deeply affected by the death of Saul but that of Jonathan shakes him in the very core of his being. He loved Saul but Jonathan was more to him than life itself. This love of David for Jonathan has been manipulated by many to justify their own homosexuality as has the love Jesus had for John, the beloved disciple and for Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead.

We all can with very little effort deny the sinfulness of our own behaviour but in my lifetime I have seen rise up organised "communities" whose sole aim is to deny God and to deny him by pride in sinning and denial of his rights "my body my choice". Jesus welcomed sinners but had them confront their own sin. Jesus is black and white and outside the wedding feast there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The one line gospel sheds no light on who were Jesus' relatives. James "the brother of the Lord" is any male relative brought up in the same household and he had already become a disciple. In that extended family where Jesus spent his childhood both Mary and Joseph were aware that in Jesus God was acting in the world so they would not have been part of the group of "relatives".

In another Gospel Jesus tells us that his family is those who listen to him and believe. He thus  confirms that we  all  have the potential to become his adopted brothers and sisters but we have to choose for ourselves.

Dear Lord, you are the Father of all mankind . Only you can totally know each one of us. In the Incarnation you took a place within the brotherhood of man and became "Our Father" and share with us "Love" that is the Holy Spirit. We are all  in truth relatives of Jesus and share in the Knowledge of Mary and Joseph that you are the perfection of God incarnated into Jesus our brother in this life, the Glory of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the eternal moment that we have been created to share. Let us all become aware that sin is any decision to ignore God's call to holiness and that he has enabled us all to avoid sin. Forgiveness and Mercy flow unceasingly but will not overwhelm us if we don't ask and cooperate as did Mary and all the Saints.