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Home Luke 8:19-21 NRSVue

Luke 8:19-21 NRSVue

19Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

“Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”

Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
There is your family, Lord Jesus: Mary, and the others of the household - perhaps Joseph was already dead. Now you widen it. We become your family not by birth, nor by being female, nor by rituals, but by hearing and acting on God's word. You welcome me into the same intimate relationship with you as Mary your mother.

Reflection
Our prime relationship in life is our relationship with God. This explains why Jesus' words about his mother and brothers. Even the strongest family bonds and ties fit into a prior relationship we all enter into at conception - we belong to God before we belong to anyone else. Our relationship to each other is deepest in our common belonging to God. Our relationship with God grows by listening to his word, praying over his word, and translating his word into christian life and service.

Reflection
Jesus is not disowning his mother, but rather pointing to her greatest glory: that she could say to God's messenger: /Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word/

Reflection
The deepest of human family relationships - being a mother and brother - are not as full as the relationship we have with God in Jesus. Mary would have understood this - that her deepest bond with her Son was not just physical birth, but in hearing and doing the word of God which became flesh in her. Our time of prayer is our daily time of hearing this word.