Connected

The gospel this morning revealed an answer to my prayers regarding for balance in communication. It was so profound, I would love to share it with you. Gospel Luke 8:9-21 "The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you." He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." -The Gospel of the Lord This reflection was written by Sr. Meg Funk, a Benedictine nun from our Lady of Grace Monastery was just beautiful! Families today are in some ways more connected than ever. Husbands and wives talk by phone several times a day from work, home, and during their commutes. Children text and talk. Everyone reports in. Even from afar, family members visit us in our living rooms via Skype. We know where everyone is and how they feel about being there. We strive to keep the family bonds tight, which makes today's Gospel at first glance seem rude and rough. Jesus' family wants to see him, and he leaves them waiting outside while he conveys a startling message: My family is bigger than just you. It in includes all those who hear my word and act on it. Surely this is just a jolt, a literary or audio sound bite to make a point, an exaggeration to be shaved down to size in one's real life. Shouldn't my family have more claim on me than anyone else? Shouldn't they count on my and I on them? But there's a deeper message in today's Gospel. As Christian's, we have a much wider obligation to others beyond our immediate kin; we are to help, love, forgive, anticipate, and relieve hardship wherever we see it. We are Jesus of Nazareth's mother, brother, and sister who listen to him and act accordingly. This requires change. Personal habits and socially imbedded hubris require our sustained attention. Perhaps we can use our cell phones and Internet as means to the end of truly staying connected, to find ways to take action where there is need. We are all, after all Jesus' family. And we need to stay connected.