16th Week in Ordinary Time : Tuesday 20th July 2021

The escape from Egypt is looked upon as the most important event in Israel’s history — it is the high salvation point and is celebrated every year at the Passover Festival. Here the Lord revealed his deep love for the Hebrew people. This was a defining moment as the people began to trust the Lord and Moses as God’s servant. The oppression and slavery of the Hebrew people and their miraculous escape by the hand of God became one of the key elements in the story of the Hebrew people.

Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and brothers came. They wanted to talk to him. When he was told that his mother was there, Jesus pointed to his disciples and said that they were his mother and brothers. That would have been very shocking to the people of that day for kinship was extremely important — your family ties indicated who you were. What Jesus said meant that obedience to God the Father was the most fundamental obligation of being part of the family. It was also the basis of kinship. This was revolutionary in the culture of that day.

Lord, help me to be obedient to Your will.