Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church
(Hebrews 10:1-10; Mark 3:31-35)
An unforgettable
scene in the movie Dances with Wolves shows the hero riding away with
the Indians. He was a calvary officer on
the American frontier who was abandoned by the American army and adopted by a Sioux
tribe. He became one of them; they became
his family. In today’s gospel Jesus
similarly chooses his family.
Jesus’ blood relatives come looking for him. Believing him to be mentally disturbed, they want
to take him back to Nazareth. But he
makes it known that his disciples are his “mother, brothers, and sisters.” Jesus never says that any human is his
father. The only father he has, his true
Father, is God in heaven.
Although not in the same way, God through Jesus is our
Father as well. He takes care of our
needs as every one of us can attest. In response
we should thank Him by always doing His will.
