Gospel: Mark 3: 31-35
In ancient religions tribes and nations claimed their origin through ancestry from some deity who also established their laws and nation in a particular land. In these respects Israel's mythology is no different; to be Jewish is to have Abraham as one's ancestor, to heed a law given by God, and to be attached to a land given by God. In today's Gospel reading Jesus overturns all of this thinking.
If we are to take the creation story and belief in one God seriously, then we must accept the fact that the creation story is not about a particular people but all people. The entire human race has a common origin on the human dimension as well as our common origin in the one God. We form one human family, one family of God united in solidarity and love.
Jesus points out to us that we make our claim to belong to God's family not by some ancestral family tree, but rather by living and following God's will. It is motivated by an internal response of belonging to God and belonging to one another, prompting us to deeds of loving service and solidarity with the entire human family who has one heavenly Father calling us together each day.
No comments:
Post a Comment