My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

- Luke 8:16-25

Yesterday we read about the several women who are Jesus' followers and providers -- the two of them we read the most information about were those one would not expect to be with Jesus: Mary Magdalene, out of whom had been cast seven demons, and Joanna who was the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod. It follows along with the story (in the previous reading) of the woman who bathed Jesus' feet with her tears and anointed them with fragrant oil - whose many sins He forgave. Then Jesus gave us the parable of the Sower, introducing parables and teaching why He spoke to the crowds this way. See He who has ears, let him hear! The parable of the Sower.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." Jesus has just finished telling the parable of the Sower, and giving His interpretation in private for His disciples only. He described the many ways in which the seed of the word is planted in us, and may be uprooted or fail to bear fruit. The key is in our spiritual ears and eyes, what is in our hearts, how open they are to spiritual truth and understanding. Therefore it all depends on how we "hear" the parable, how we "hear" the word. Jesus also taught, in yesterday's reading, that we need patience to bear good fruit. Therefore the lamp, lit by "hearing" His word must burn the brighter in us with patience and cultivation of our ability to hear. We have to ability to continue to burn that light brighter, by receiving the word as it continues to come to us once that lamp is lit -- "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." Therefore, it requires patience and diligence in our spiritual journeying forth; this is not a one-time only enlightenment! "Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." So, our ability to hear must be carefully preserved and cultivated through time, through our lives and our spiritual sojourn as disciples -- because whoever does not have, does not guard and brighten this spiritual lamp of the heart with care and patience and bear its fruit, may lose even what they have. Discipleship is a lifetime journey in which we are expected to grow, not stand still. My study bible says, "The more one permits God's light to shine, the more light is given."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." At first hearing, one may think this is a putdown of Jesus' mother and brothers. Rather, it is inclusive, as all of Luke's Gospel teaches us Jesus' radical inclusion in the law of faith and love and discipleship. We know why Mary has been revered and venerated: it was her own response to God's word that defined her life and her place in the economy of salvation. And so, Jesus invites each of us also to become His family by the same response to the word. This is a further "illumination" of the words about light and the lampstand, above.

Now it happened on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" Finally, we are given a lesson in faith that also illuminates the teachings in the parable of the Sower -- because difficulties will come. Seeming threats to our lives and well-being will come: this is also an important part of the parable, and why we need patience as in Jesus' words in His teaching on the parable: "having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." We will go through many threats to our faith in life, the cares of the world choke us, and the fears for what we may lose. But to hold onto faith is the way of patience through time and all the myriad ways in which life will challenge us in this regard. We will have fears to cope with. But we must remember the One who plants in us the seed of faith.

Jesus asks today, "Where is your faith?" How do we strengthen it through time, and allow the lamp to burn more brightly within ourselves? Where does your faith come from, and how has it been tested? Can you cultivate the patience to keep it burning brightly within you so that it bears fruit through difficulties? How does being a part of this spiritual family get you through the tough things you may bear in life, and sustain you? You may find that instead of diminishing your faith, coming through the difficulties choosing discipleship -- taking heed how we hear -- may actually help your light to shine more brightly, and bear the fruit He asks.