Have you made a firm choice about your faith? - Daily Reflections July 23,2013

WHO IS MY MOTHER?

 

When I came to the Philippines in 1996 to minister as a priest in Metro Manila, I spent the first three months with a very generous family in Makati. The mother of the woman who welcomed me to stay with them very quickly seemed to adopt me as a “late-born” son and I, too, soon adopted the practice of calling her Nanay (Tagalog word for mother). There followed a number of other people who seemed to want to adopt me as their son in the years that followed.

       In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus ask the question, “Who is my mother?” He does not in any way intend to disrespect His birth mother, Mary, but wants to stress that our faith is above and beyond genetic realities. At the same time, He also seems to affirm that we can all take part in these specifically familial roles in our spiritual relationships with others. This is important to the Jews as they often equated Jewishness with familial relationships particularly through the mother, she being the one who raises her child.

       Jesus intends to stop this understanding of the nature of faith and position faith solely within the choice of the individual.  Ultimately, it is irrelevant to whom you were born; what matters is whether or not you decide to enter into a relationship with God.

       This is the case in the Christian faith. Given that most Christians are baptized as infants, it is still up to the individual to affirm that commitment at a later time in his life when he can make the choice for himself. If not, the commitment of parents and godparents, while remaining valid for the childhood of the person, will fall by the wayside as the individual chooses his own path later in life.

       Whether or not you are a Christian does not depend on birth circumstances; it depends on your choice. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Have you made a firm choice about your faith? How do you stand now with that choice? Is it time to revisit your choice and commit yourself anew?

 

Holy Spirit, guide my heart and mind as I make life-shaping choices. Help me to choose according to Your will so that I will be truly fulfilled in all that I do.