Jesus is the only Son who is in the bosom of the Father.  Through him, we are children by adoption, and so we cry, “Father,” which then means we are sisters and brothers.

Jesus says that his mother, sisters and brothers are those who do God’s will (Mk 3, 35).  It matters to him more that people obey God than that they are his relatives by blood.  And he teaches the same when he tells us where blessedness lies (Lk 11, 28).

Of course, it is not that Jesus dismisses kinship by blood.  He only underscores that to belong to him means to follow him on the way of love.  In other words, to be like him and do what he does.

And Jesus is before us as the one who does the Father’s will (Heb 10, 9; Jn 5, 30; 6, 38).  He also does what he sees the Father doing (Jn 5, 19).

There is harmony, yes, between Son and Father.  The former is the image of the latter; the latter vouches for the former (Col 1, 15; Heb 1, 3; Jn 8, 18; 12, 28).  And, of course, they know and love each other (Jn 5, 20; 10, 15. 30; 14, 31).  Such love so overflows that it cannot but be poured into us (Rom 5, 5).  So that we, too, may give ourselves to God and live only for him (SV.EN XII:113).

Hence, the one who gives himself to Father is the one whom the Father sends to the poor.  And true to the Father, Jesus goes around towns and villages.  He teaches and proclaims the Good News of the kingdom.  Besides, he cures people’s diseases and illnesses.  He helps in every way those who are poor, and gets his followers to do the same.  His preaching of the Good News is “by words and by works” (SV.EN XII:77-79).

Jesus’ sisters and brothers

So, true to his mission, Jesus shows that God is, first of all, our Father.  This Father has the good of all his children at heart.  He wants them to be sisters and brothers that stay one and help out.

To be such sisters and brothers, it is enough for us to stay one with Jesus.  He and we are to be one as the Father and he are one (Jn 14, 20-23; 15, 9-10; 17, 21).

And those who are one with Jesus are one with Father also (Jn 14, 6-7. 9. 12. 26; 16, 27).  Moreover, they become sisters and brothers to all, to the poorest, most of all.  Sisters and brothers, too, like the Poverello of Assisi, to all things—to the moon, the birds, death.  That is why they set up confraternities.  They pledge to walk with the poor, take up a simple lifestyle and give up all symbol of power (Pact of the Catacombs).

Yes, Jesus asks his own to be fully one with him.  Hence, in an infinitely inventive way, he feeds us with his body and blood (SV.EN XI:131).  He does so since he wants us to live off his sap; his blood is to pass through our veins with a new covenant.  We are not his blood relatives.  But just the same, he wants us to be concorporeal, consanguine and contemporary with him. That is to say, be of the same flesh, blood and time as he; we shall not be alone (Jn 16, 32).

Lord Jesus, grant that we live by your death, die by your life, hide in you and be full of you (SV.EN I:276).  We will thus live as true sisters and brothers.

6 June 2021
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (B)
Ex 24, 3-8; Heb 9, 11-15; Mk 14, 12-16. 22-26