First Reading (Micah 7,14-15,18-20)
Reading of the Prophecy of Micah.
Shepherd your people with the staff of authority, the flock of your property, the inhabitants scattered throughout the forest and cultivated fields; let them enjoy the land of Bashan and Gilead, as in the old days. And as it was in the days when you brought us out of Egypt, make us see new wonders. What God is there, like you, who blots out iniquity and forgets the sin of those who are the remains of your property? He doesn’t hold grudges forever, what he loves is mercy. he will again have compassion on us, he will forget our iniquities and he will cast all our sins to the bottom of the sea. You will remain faithful to Jacob and have compassion on Abraham, as you swore to our fathers from ancient times.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 12,46-50)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, while Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, trying to talk to him. Someone said to Jesus, “Look! Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to talk to you.” Jesus asked the one who had spoken, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand to the disciples, Jesus said, “Behold my mother and my brothers. For everyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Imagine yourself in a lush green pasture, surrounded by gentle hills and an endless blue sky. The sound of a babbling brook echoes in the distance, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers. In this idyllic setting, you see a shepherd, with his staff in hand, gently guiding a flock of sheep. This pastoral image, so vivid in the words of the prophet Micah, invites us to a deep reflection on God’s loving care and the true meaning of family from a divine perspective.
Micah begins with a moving plea: “Feed your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance.” What a beautiful metaphor! God is not a distant and indifferent ruler, but an attentive and caring shepherd. He knows each of his sheep by name, cares about their needs, and guides them with tenderness and firmness.
Let us reflect for a moment: how do we experience this pastoral care of God in our lives? Perhaps it is through the guidance we find in Scripture when we face difficult decisions. Or in the peace we feel after a sincere prayer in times of turbulence. Or even the unexpected support of a friend when we feel overwhelmed. These are all signs of God’s staff guiding us.
Micah continues with a powerful reminder: “Make us see wonders, as in the days when you came out of Egypt.” What a magnificent evocation of God’s liberating power! The Exodus was not just a historical event, but an eternal testimony to God’s ability to transform seemingly impossible situations.
Think about the “Egyptian situations” in your own lives. Maybe it’s an addiction that seems impossible to overcome, a broken relationship that defies reconciliation, or a financial situation that seems like there’s no way out. The God who parted the Red Sea is the same God who is working in your life today. He can and wants to perform wonders in your life, freeing you from the chains that bind you.
But the heart of Micah’s message is his exaltation of divine mercy: “Who is God like you, who takes away iniquity and forgives sin?…He does not hold back his anger forever, for he delights in mercy.”
What an extraordinary statement! Our God is not a meticulous accountant of our failures, eager to punish us for the slightest slip-up. On the contrary, He is a loving Father, always ready to forgive, always eager to restore.
Imagine a vast and deep ocean. Now, imagine throwing a stone into the ocean. How quickly it disappears into the depths! Micah tells us that this is how God deals with our sins – He casts them “into the depths of the sea.” They are not only placed on the surface, where they can be easily retrieved, but cast into the depths, never to be seen or remembered again.
This is the extent of God’s forgiveness. It is not a reluctant or partial forgiveness, but complete and irrevocable. How freeing it is to know that no matter what we have done, God’s mercy is always greater than our sin!
Now let us turn our attention to the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is teaching, and his family – his mother and brothers – arrive, wanting to talk to him. Jesus’ answer is surprising and profound: “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? … whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
At first glance, these words may seem harsh. Is Jesus rejecting his own family? Absolutely not! What He is doing is radically expanding our understanding of what it means to be a family.
In Jesus’ culture, as in many cultures today, family ties were considered supreme. But Jesus is inviting us to a deeper, broader understanding of family—a family based not on blood or DNA, but on a shared commitment to doing God’s will.
Imagine a large dinner table, filled with people of all ages, races and backgrounds. Some are rich, others poor. Some are polite, others are not. Some speak your language, others don’t. But all are united by a bond stronger than blood – the desire to know and follow God. This is the vision of family that Jesus presents to us.
This revolutionary understanding of family has profound implications for our lives. It means that no one is excluded from God’s love. It means we can find “brothers and sisters” in unexpected places—perhaps in the co-worker who shares our faith, or in the stranger we meet serving at a homeless shelter.
But it also challenges us. If everyone who does God’s will is our family, how do we treat those who are different from us? How do we welcome the stranger, the marginalized, the rejected? Jesus calls us to expand our circles of love and acceptance, to see each person as a potential member of God’s family.
At the same time, Jesus’ words do not diminish the importance of our earthly families. On the contrary, they take our family relationships to a new level. We are called to see our parents, siblings, spouses and children not just as biological relatives, but as companions on the spiritual journey, co-heirs of the Kingdom of God.
What a challenge and what a privilege! Imagine how our families would be transformed if we saw each member not just through the lens of kinship but as someone called, just as we are, to do the will of our heavenly Father.
So how do we unite the messages of Micah and Jesus? I see a beautiful synergy here. Micah reminds us of God’s pastoral care and boundless mercy. Jesus invites us to extend that same care and mercy to all those we encounter, recognizing them as potential members of God’s family.
Brothers and sisters, we are called to be reflections of God’s pastoral love in our world. Just as He guides us with His staff, we are called to guide others with kindness and compassion. Just as He performs wonders in our lives, we are called to be instruments of His miracles in the lives of others.
We are called to be agents of divine mercy, ready to forgive as we have been forgiven, to cast the sins of others “into the depths of the sea” just as God does ours. And we are challenged to constantly expand our understanding of family, welcoming all who seek to do God’s will as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
May we, every day, grow in awareness of God’s pastoral care in our lives. May we marvel at the wonders He continues to perform in our midst. May we bathe in the depths of his mercy, allowing it to transform us and flow through us to others.
And may we look at each person we meet with new eyes – the eyes of Christ – recognizing in them a potential member of God’s family. May our churches, our communities, and our homes become places where all are welcome, where all are valued, where all are loved.
May the God of mercy, who guides us with His loving staff, who performs wonders in our midst, and who welcomes us into His family, be with you today and always. May He bless and keep you. May He make His face shine upon you and have mercy on you. May the Lord turn his face toward you and grant you peace. Amen.
