From: Luke 8:19-21

The True Kinsmen of Jesus

[19] Then His (Jesus’) mother and His brethren came to Him, but they could not
reach Him for the crowd. [20] And He was told, “Your mother and your brethren
are standing outside, desiring to see You.” [21] But He said to them, “My mother
and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

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Commentary:

19-21. These words of our Lord show us that fulfillment of the Will of God is more
important than kinship and that, therefore, our Lady is more united to her Son by
virtue of her perfect fulfillment of what God asked of her, than by the Holy Spirit’s
using her to make Christ’s body (cf. notes on Matthew 12:48-50 and Mark 3:31-
35).

[Notes on Matthew 12:48-50 states:

48-50. Jesus obviously loved His Mother and St. Joseph. He uses this episode
to teach us that in His Kingdom human ties do not take precedence. In Luke 8:
19 the same teaching is to be found. Jesus regards the person who does the will
of His Heavenly Father as a member of His own family. Therefore, even though it
means going against natural family feelings, a person should do just that when
needs be in order to perform the mission the Father has entrusted to him (cf.
Luke 2:49).

We can say that Jesus loved Mary more because of the bonds between them
created by grace than because He was her son by natural generation: Mary’s
divine motherhood is the source of all our Lady’s other prerogatives; but this very
motherhood is, in its turn, the first and greatest of the graces with which Mary
was endowed.]

[Notes on Mark 3:31-35 states:

31-35. In Aramaic, the language used by the Jews, the word “brethren” is a broad
term indicating kinship: nephews, first cousins, and relatives in general are called
‘brethren’ (for further explanation cf. note on Mark 6:1-3). “Jesus did not say this
to disown His mother, but to show that she is worthy of honor not only account of
having given birth to Jesus, but also because she has all the virtues” (Theoplylact,
“Enarratio In Evangelium Marci, in loc.”).

Therefore, the Church reminds us that the Blessed Virgin “in the course of her
Son’s preaching received the words whereby, in extolling a kingdom beyond the
concerns and ties of flesh and blood, He declared blessed those who heard and
kept the word of God as she was faithfully doing” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”,
58).

Our Lord, then, is also telling us that if we follow Him we will share His life more
intimately than if were a member of His family. St. Thomas explains this by sa-
ying that Christ “had an eternal generation and a generation in time, and gave
preference to the former. Those who do the will of the Father reach Him by hea-
venly generation [...]. Everyone who does the will of the Father, that is to say,
who obeys Him, is a brother or sister of Christ, because he is like Him who ful-
filled the will of His Father. But he who not only obeys but converts others, be-
gets Christ in them, and thus becomes like the Mother of Christ” (”Commentary
on St. Matthew”, 12, 49-50.)]

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Proverbs 21:1-6,10-13 ©

On wickedness and virtue

Like flowing water is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord,

who turns it where he pleases.

A man’s conduct may strike him as upright,

the Lord, however, weighs the heart.

To act virtuously and with justice

is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice.

Haughty eye, proud heart,

lamp of the wicked, nothing but sin.

The hardworking man is thoughtful, and all is gain;

too much haste, and all that comes of it is want.

To make a fortune with the help of a lying tongue,

such the idle fantasy of those who look for death.

The wicked man’s soul is intent on evil,

he looks on his neighbour with dislike.

When a mocker is punished, the ignorant man grows wiser,

when a wise man is instructed he acquires more knowledge.

The Just One watches the house of the wicked:

he hurls the wicked to destruction.

He who shuts his ear to the poor man’s cry

shall himself plead and not be heard.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118(119):1,27,30,34-35,44 ©

Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.

They are happy whose life is blameless,

who follow God’s law!

Make me grasp the way of your precepts

and I will muse on your wonders.

Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.

I have chosen the way of truth

with your decrees before me.

Train me to observe your law,

to keep it with my heart.

Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.

Guide me in the path of your commands;

for there is my delight.

I shall always keep your law

for ever and ever.

Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

Or:	Lk11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy are those

who hear the word of God

and keep it.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 8:19-21 ©

'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God'

The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’