Who is my mother?

Who is my mother?

“Who are my mother and my brothers?  Here are my mother and my brothers.  Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.”  (Mark 3: 34)

Jesus seizes the opportunity of the visit of his mother to teach us an important lesson about a new kind of relationship in the kingdom.   If I do the will of God, I can truly call Jesus, my brother.  Jesus praises his mother because she does the will of God.  Christ is saying here that spiritual maternity is of a higher order than a mere physical one.  Mary is the mother of Jesus in the order of nature and in the higher order of grace.  

Jesus gave us his mother on the cross even when we were still sinners.  This is so that the mother will lead us to our brother, Jesus.

I turn to Mary, the one full of grace and pray:  Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus, you were praised because you do the will of God.  I too am your son.  Teach me to hear the word of God today and to do it.