Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina

Hearing and Doing: The True Marks of Jesus’ Family

In today’s Gospel, from Luke 8:19-21, we hear something quite striking. Jesus is told that His mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see Him. But He replies, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’

At first, this might seem dismissive or even harsh, but it reveals something profound about what it means to belong to the family of God. Jesus is not rejecting His earthly family. Rather, He is expanding our understanding of divine kinship. He is telling us that we become His brothers, sisters, and mother not by blood, but by obedience — by hearing God’s word and living it out.

St. John Chrysostom, one of the great Fathers of the Church, commented on this passage by saying, ‘He is not ashamed to call you brother; make sure you do not live in a way that would shame such a Brother.’ For Chrysostom, as for the early Church, the call to discipleship is not just a spiritual ideal, it’s an invitation into the most intimate of relationships with our Lord — one rooted in how we live.

Now comes the question we must each ask ourselves: Would Jesus point to you as a member of His family? Why?

Your presence at Mass, your prayers, your acts of kindness — these are beautiful signs. But Jesus points out that true kinship with Him requires hearing the word and putting it into action. That means forgiving not just when it’s easy, but when it hurts. It means loving not only those who love us back, but also those who challenge us and even oppose us. It means surrendering our will to God’s, especially when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.

So, would Jesus point to me or to you and say, ‘There is My mother, My brother, My sister’? If we are striving each day to listen to Him — really listen — and allow His word to shape our choices, our relationships, and our priorities, then yes, He would.

But if we only come to Him with words and not deeds, with ears but not hearts ready to obey, we risk being the ones outside, asking to see Him but not recognized as part of His true family.

Let us then ask the Lord for grace — to be hearers and doers of His word. And may our lives give Him every reason to say, ‘Yes, you are truly My brother, My sister, My family.’