Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.
The readings today focus on obedience to the Divine Will. The first reading from the book of Genesis tells the story of our first parents: Adam and Eve. Their fall was due to pride and disobedience and wanting to like God. This also was the cause of the fall of Satan and a third of the angels who followed him.
God gave Adam and Eve a test. He permitted them to eat of any of the fruit in the wonderful Garden of Eden, except the fruit of one tree, which was forbidden. God warned them, that if they were to eat of that tree they would surely die. Sadly, Eve was tempted and seduced by the devil, who was extremely jealous of our first parents. He promised Eve that if they ate the forbidden fruit, they would be like God and they would not die. The devil is the father of lies. Sadly, through pride, Eve took of the forbidden fruit, ate and gave the fruit to Adam who also ate. At that moment they lost their clothes of light and realized that they were now naked. They also lost the preternatural gifts, such as living in the Divine Will, infused knowledge, perfect dominion of the soul over the body and dominion over all creation. Sickness and death also entered human history through their Fall. They suffered a three-fold slavery: to the devil, concupiscense (desire of the lower appetites contrary to reason) and suffering and death.
It would take the coming of the Messiah four thousand years later, according to Bible history to reverse the sin of Adam and Eve. Through His obedience until death on a cross perfect atonement would be made for sin. As mankind fell through a tree, so Jesus would be nailed to a tree. The evil of sin can be clearly seen in His immense sufferings during the Passion. Through the Redemption, we have been restored by Baptism to a graced relationship with God once again. However, we still have a fallen nature.
St Paul reminds in the second reading to keep our eyes on things which are invisible, for we have an everlasting home in Heaven. In our days the gift of living in the Divine Will is being restored, through Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta and the Book of Heaven (available through Casa Luisa in Spearwood). These writings which have the Imprimatur of the Church reveal that the Our Father prayer will be fulfilled when God’s Kingdom will come in its fullness and the Divine Will is done on earth, as in Heaven. However, before the great renewal of the earth, we must live through these times of the great confusion.
In today’s Gospel, the cousins of Jesus can’t understand all the miracles, exorcisms and teachings of Jesus. Although they knew Him in the hidden life, they didn’t know who He really was, the Son of God, made man. Due to their superficial outlook on what He is doing, they are in fact beginning to think that He is out of His mind.
Jesus had just performed an exorcism and the scribes who are proud and jealous of Jesus, attribute this to the devil. But Jesus patiently uses simple logic to try and get through to them, that if the devil is divided against himself, his kingdom can’t stand. Jesus as God the Son is always working with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He would say in the Gospel:
…It is through the Finger of God, (that is the Holy Spirit), that I cast out devils.. (cf.Lk 11:20).
He then warns against blasphemy.
Let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit…he will never have forgiveness; he is guilty of an eternal sin.
By attributing the exorcisms to the devil, rather than the Holy Spirit, the scribes are committing blasphemy. Anyone who does this won’t be forgiven because they won’t be disposed to seek forgiveness.
St Paul urges us to seek holiness and as Catholics there are the pillars of our faith to fight against pride and grow in holiness.
1. Prayer, for example the Daily Rosary and Adoration.
2. The Sacraments, such as regular Confession and weekday Mass.
3. Spiritual reading, especially the Word of God.
4. Fraternity or fellowship, by trying to forget oneself and care for others.
The Saints of the Church are a great source of inspiration for us. For example, St Louis IX, King of France. He lived in the 13th century and had great faith. On one occasion Mass was being celebrated in the Palace Chapel and a miracle took place during the Consecration. Jesus appeared visibly in the form of a beautiful child. Everyone present was amazed and awestruck as they gazed at Him. They saw this miracle as a proof of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Someone ran to tell the King who was elsewhere in the palace, so he could come and see too. But instead of rushing to see the miracle, he stayed where he was and said firmly:
I firmly believe already that Jesus is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament and that is sufficient. I do not wish to lose the merit of my faith, by going to see this miracle. He had complete faith in the words of Jesus Himself in John’s Gospel (cf. Jn 6:35-55).
The readings today clearly warn against the danger of pride and wanting to be greater than we are. Yesterday we celebrated the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady is the perfect model of holiness for us to imitate. She was little in her own eyes and was totally united to God by living in His Will. Let’s be constant in prayer and remove the pebble of our human will, which is the cause of sin. Then God’s Will can reign in us, as it reigned in Adam and Eve before the Fall. Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever!