Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother

 

 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  

 

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."   But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

 

- Matthew 12:43-50 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus continued in His confrontation with the Pharisees who had accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the ruler of the demons.  He told them, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks  after a sign and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

 

  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."   My study Bible comments that when the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they did not repent of their impure ways, and an unclean spirit took up residence in their hearts (Deuteronomy 31:20; Psalm 106:34-39.  So, therefore we guard our hearts.  My study Bible adds that unless there is full repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, an expelled demon will return with others and occupy its abode.  

 

 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."   But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission, my study Bible explains.  Christ points to a spiritual family which is based on obedience to the will of My Father.  In tradition usage among the Jews (and still today across the Middle East), brother could indicate any number of relations.  Abram referred to his nephew Lot as "brother" (Genesis 14:14); Boaz called his cousin Elimelech his "brother" (Ruth 4:3); and Joab called his cousin Amasa "brother" (2 Samuel 20:9).   In this context we understand that Christ had no blood brothers, as Mary had only one Son:  Jesus.  These brothers He refers to are either stepbrothers (that is, sons of Joseph by a previous marriage), or they are cousins.  As additional evidence of this, we know that Jesus committed His mother to the care of St. John ("the disciple whom He loved") at the Cross (John 19:25-27).  Such a thing would have been unthinkable if Mary had other children of her own to care for her.  

 

 Jesus points to a community, and more than a community, when He speaks of His brother and sister and mother in today's reading.  He extends community into even closer relationship by such references as those terms in speaking of "whoever does the will of My Father in heaven."  Often in modern understanding, we fail to grasp correctly what sacrifice was in the context of ancient religions.  A sacrifice was a communal meal, in which the community shared their goods not just with one another, but with their God (or gods).  In the Jewish context, this was the point of the sacrifices in the temple, as it was in pagan cultures as well.  The whole point was community and the relations within the community; in the Jewish context this meant the covenant with Yahweh, but also the ameliorating of the effects of sin on and within the community.  But from ancient times, human beings did not rely upon blood nor physical kinship to determine community; more common was a common code or creed, linked to worship, which determined customs and norms.  Families were a building block of such societies with these community bonds.  In this context Jesus speaks of His mother and sister and brother as those who do "the will of My Father in heaven."  This serves to underscore the deep need we have in today's societies through our own worship and communion in Christ.  His own sacrifice on the Cross -- His body and blood -- serves literally and figuratively as Communion, our communal meal (see Matthew 26:26-29; John 6:50-59).  Today people often find common interest, political affiliation, physical family gathering according to blood, even DNA, national identity, and other types of shared participation to define themselves in the world.  But Christ here offers us something which He tells us is deeper than DNA, deeper than family kinship -- or perhaps more significant in spiritual terms that define who we are and give us a heritage He offers, and that is to be committed to doing the will of our Father in heaven.  This becomes our communion, in which we find brothers, sisters, mothers, as we follow Christ.  It is meant to be a bond of love, for God is love, and this is the bedrock of our existence as God's creatures.  We may look in a million different places to find kinship, a community, a sense of belonging.  But ultimately Christ offers us a love that surpasses and transcends all else, even when all else may let us down, or worse, lead us astray.  For we are not merely flesh and blood; we are also souls.  Without the soul, there is no life in the body.  See also Matthew 16:26.  In Christ, then, we find our community, in this common bond seeking to do the Father's will.  We know of His love for us, His sacrifice for us, and for the life of the world.  Let us root ourselves in His communion, for the reality of God who is love, and God's grace, is the solid bedrock upon which we wish to build our lives.

 

 

 

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother

 

 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

 

- Matthew 12:43-50 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued responding to the Pharisees' charge that He cast out demons by the power of demons, which He called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  He said, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

 

  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  My study Bible comments that when the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they did not repent of their impure ways, and hence an unclean spirit took up residence in their hearts (Deuteronomy 31:20; Psalm 106:34-39).  So, therefore we guard our hearts, and keep this as an important practice.  It continues, "Unless there is full repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, an expelled demon will return with others and reoccupy its abode."  

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  My study Bible comments that Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission.  He points here to a spiritual family, which is based on obedience to the will of My Father.  We should also keep in mind that the term brothers in this passage can indicate any number of relations, if we go by the way it is used in Scripture.  Abram called his nephew Lot "brother" in Genesis 14:14; Boaz referred to his cousin Elimelech as his "brother" (Ruth 4:3); and Joab called his cousin Amasa his "brother" (2 Samuel 20:9).  It says that Christ Himself had no blood brothers; Mary had only one Son, Jesus.  The brothers which are mentioned here are either stepbrothers (that is, sons of Joseph by a previous marriage), or cousins.  The truth of this becomes apparent when we observe that Jesus committed His mother to the care of John (the "beloved disciple") at the Cross (John 19:25-27).  This would have been unthinkable if Mary had other children to care for her.

In some sense, we can see Jesus in today's reading as pleading with these religious leaders.  It might not sound like it, but He is Savior, and as such all that He does is an attempt to save.  While these men to whom He speaks might not even be capable of "hearing" Him spiritually, there are still others who are listening, and His ministry and words will remain for posterity.  In the first verses of today's reading, Jesus is explaining to them the fullness of the risks of refusal for repentance.  Often we think of repentance in modern terms as requiring sackcloth and ashes, a dismal face, a grim disposition.  But we should not think of it this way.  That is because, above all, repentance is simply a willingness to reconsider, to listen again, and open one's heart and mind, and to change one's mind.  (This is literally the meaning of the Greek word for repent, metanoia/μετανοια, to change one's mind.)   Jesus gives an extremely unsettling warning to these men in the form of a teaching of unclean spirits -- the things we may be healed from through exorcism (such as Jesus performs).  But without a continual vigilance in terms of taking in and actually practicing the things we've learned, such spirits return with a vengeance.  While not everyone in a modern context will understand the terms unclean spirit as a type of being, I think we can all observe the reality of how concepts and ideas work in our minds, what we hold dear to our hearts and souls, and what we are willing to change -- and make a commitment to that change.  Anyone who has ever practiced a Twelve Step program would be familiar with this; vigilance is necessary for continued benefits to one's life of the change to sobriety.  Nothing is a one-minute fix, no matter how good our resolutions are.  In this case, Jesus is warning the Pharisees about their own choices here, and that they are sliding more deeply in spiritual trouble by fixing their minds and refusing what He offers.  He teaches a similar principle in His great summing up of criticisms against this religious establishment which He will make in chapter 23.  Jesus tells them, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."  This is another example of what it is to continue traveling down the same mistaken road, for this is the way that ideas and concepts work within us.  Unless we put in a correction in our thinking, we do not stand still.  We will continue down a mistaken road, and so our "disciples" will be "twice the sons of hell" that we are.  This example of the demonic returning to a clean and swept place is an illustration of that principle and how it works within a single person, or perhaps even a group of people.  If we don't take correction seriously -- and as part of the love of God to heal us -- then we're just going to continue down a wrong road, further along toward a false and mistaken destination.  The contrast to that direction -- the correction, the remedy, the antidote --  is "the will of My Father in heaven."  This is the road we need to be on.  As part of His love, Jesus gives us this truth.   The question remains for us whether or not we can accept it.

 

 

When an unclean spirit spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none

 "When an unclean spirit spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

- Matthew 12:43-50

On Saturday we read that Jesus told the Pharisees (who had accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the ruler of the demons), "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

 "When an unclean spirit spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  Jesus has just given His sternest words for the Pharisees who've blasphemed the work of the Spirit, accusing Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub (in these passages in Matthew called the "ruler of the demons").  Here is an even stronger warning.  My study bible tells us that when the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they did not repent of their impure ways, and an unclean spirit took up residence in their hearts (Deuteronomy 31:20; Psalm 105:34-39).  Therefore we must guard our hearts.  Unless there is full repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, an expelled demon will return with others and reoccupy its abode.  Once again (as in Saturday's reading, above) we have a powerful irony.  It's the Pharisees who've just accused Jesus of using demonic power.   After He defended Himself, they demanded a sign to prove that He's the Christ.  Again, that demand received strong dismissal and condemnation from Jesus.  Here, He warns them that even if they repent of their particular accusation now, without a true change of heart, they will simply continue down the same bad road, becoming worse than their current state.

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  My study bible says that Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission.  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of My Father.  It also notes that in Jewish usage the term brother can indicate any number of relationships.  (This remains so in common language across the Middle East.)  Abram called his nephew Lot "brother" (Genesis 14:14); Boaz spoke of his cousin Elimelech as his "brother" (Ruth 4:3); and Joab called his cousin Amasa "brother" (2 Samuel 20:9).  Mary had but one Son:  Jesus.  The brothers mentioned here are either stepbrothers, sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, or cousins.  As Jesus submits His mother to the care of John at the Cross (John 19:25-27), we must consider this in context of the society of the time.  It would be unthinkable if Mary had had other children to care for her.

Jesus' teaching to the Pharisees is interesting, because it indicates that repentance isn't just a "one-time" action.  We may repent of particular behaviors or incidents in our lives, and this is not to suggest that we must dwell on them.  Rather, repentance (which means literally "change of mind" in the translation of the Greek word metanoia) is something that is greater than a one-time change of heart.  It's an ongoing state of mind, a continual process at work within us.  That is, Jesus' words, as they do elsewhere, indicate that we are on a road going somewhere, that faith is a journey, not a one-time decision.  Jesus has given us the prayer to Our Father, in which we pray, "Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  In us, the work that affirms this petition is ongoing, daily, just as we pray daily.  To guard the heart is to be alert to our purpose and commitment, to live our faith even to the point of being aware of our thoughts, our considerations, and actively seeking that will and the work of the kingdom in all things that come to us.  Jesus' words to the Pharisees remind us that life isn't about a one-time decision.  Rather, faith takes work, we're on a pathway somewhere, on a journey, and awareness and mindfulness are called from us about who we are and what our lives are about.  He takes this a step further when He proclaims that His mother and brothers are among His disciples, that "whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  This isn't to dismiss His family nor to be disrespectful to them, but to proclaim the reality of the Kingdom, and the relatedness of all those who participate in this active work of faith, of seeking and doing "the will of My Father in heaven.'  When Jesus teaches, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," He's given us similar instruction.  The word translated as "way" is a word that means "road" in Greek.  This "way" is a pathway, a lane, a road, a street.  It is an ongoing route which we're always in the midst of, and in which we're always going to make choices as to direction.  Jesus' warnings to the Pharisees about ongoing choices teach us about our faith and what it asks of us.  Like a commitment in marriage, it's not about one day and one choice or declaration, but an active commitment that takes daily work and awareness.  It continually needs shoring up, protection, and the effort that the goal of whole-heartedness asks of us.  It's the fullness of the "life" and "truth" He is and offers, and we are invited in with whole heart as active participant.  This is the real work of faith. 

The last state of that man is worse than the first

 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

- Matthew 12:43-50

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His reply the Pharisees after they claimed His signs and healings were the result of demonic activity.  He said,  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  My study bible tells us that when the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they didn't repent of their impure ways, and an unclean spirit took up residence in their hearts (see Deuteronomy 31:20; Psalm 106:34-39).  Thus, it teaches, we guard our hearts.  Unless there is a full repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a  person, an expelled demon will return with others and reoccupy its abode.  What it seems that Jesus is teaching us, especially as continuation of yesterday's reading, is that without repentance and a real "guarding of the heart" -- a deliberate practice of self-awareness -- we're on a trajectory.  We don't stay neutral and in one place.  We're either going in one direction or another, and therefore what remains in deliberate error or sin becomes worse.  It's an argument about consciousness.  Jesus will teach a similar principle when He tells the Pharisees (in 23:15), "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."   Seven is frequently used as a number symbolic of completeness.  What Jesus is discussing here is a pattern and growth of personal corruption.

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  Christ's family, says my study bible, haven't yet understood His identity and His mission.  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of My Father.  In this we're reminded of the prayer He's given us in the Sermon on the Mount, in which we pray to God the Father, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Jesus' brothers are extended family; "brothers" is still a common way to refer to cousins or stepbrothers in the Middle East.

Importantly, in today's reading, Jesus claims kinship with "whoever does the will of My Father in heaven."   It's an important principle.  Here Jesus specifically applies it to members of His own family, but we can see the point in the continuation of His teachings and rebuke to the Pharisees in the past two readings.  He has warned them that they will be judged by foreigners, the non-Jews who heard God's word and obeyed or cherished what they were given although not prepared by the whole spiritual history of Israel, the people of God.  He mentioned those at Nineveh who repented at Jonah's preaching, and the queen of the South who came to hear the wisdom God gave to Solomon.  He's challenging the ways in which we see kinship and blood relationship and community, and telling us about community based on something other than flesh and blood.  Those who stray far from God stray outside of that kinship and family.  He's looking for disciples, those who will 'work the work of faith.'  A sincere prayer that "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" is the prayer of one in this family, in His family.   Jesus underscores the importance of our understanding of this point when He preaches about the unclean spirit that brings seven more with it back to the same place; even though it is in order, it's not really enough.  Repentance asks for a kind of commitment, a particular direction of service to something, an active faith so that we go in another direction.  It seems that our failure to understand repentance and commitment, how faith works, is a failure to understand a part of our nature as human beings.  We're always serving something, whether we realize it or not.  We're made for worship, and we can turn anything into an idol.  The real nature of our minds and hearts requires consciousness, self-awareness, deliberate choice.  Neither Jesus nor God the Father acts to coerce without our internal assent, and this practice of "guarding the heart" is part of that assent, that desire to accept God's love.  This is active faith.  It's not just about following certain rules; each is made to manifest and grow in the love of God and image of God in the depth of faith.  Every saint is a unique and full personality.  As Jesus has taught, "Wisdom is justified by her children."  But we remember His words from yesterday's reading, as He gives us the 'flipside':  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit."  And today, His warning is more dire: without this work at making the tree and its fruit good, it may be on the way to being seven times worse.  Our choice here is what is essential, and in teaching about who are His brother and sister and mother, He gives us the crucial choice.

Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother

 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it be with this wicked generation."

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

- Matthew 12:43-50

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, as He spoke to the Pharisees who criticized Him (they claimed He cast out demons by the power of the ruler of demons), "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it be with this wicked generation."  We have to put this statement into context:  Jesus has been addressing the Pharisees who've blasphemed the work of the Spirit through Jesus' ministry, calling it evil.  He's been preaching to them that they must take care of their inner state; repentance has to involve personal change, commitment and vigilance.  They've demanded a sign from Him, so He compels them to believe, and He's called that evil as well.  My study bible reminds us that when the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they did not repent of their impure ways, and an unclean spirit took up residence in their hearts (Deuteronomy 31:20; Psalm 106:34-39).  Therefore, we guard our hearts as an ongoing practice of true mindfulness.  My study bible says, "Unless there is full repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, an expelled demon will return with others and reoccupy its abode."

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."  Jesus emphasizes the unification under one will; that is the will of the Father.  It's a counterpoint to the statement He's just made referring to the "spirit" of the Pharisees.   Everything begins with a depth of love of God.  My study bible suggests that Jesus' relatives haven't yet understood His identity and mission (see John 7:5), and that He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to "the will of My Father."   We recall that the term "brothers" in Jewish and more widespread Middle East usage even today can indicate extended family and cousins.

What do you love?  It seems that this is the basic question Jesus is really asking us.  He speaks to the Pharisees (even as He's teaching the crowds) about making the tree good, so its fruit will be good.   He says, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."  (See Saturday's reading, above.)  Everything connects to the internal reality we nurture, what we embrace, and how we're vigilant in that embrace.  He speaks of giving account of "every idle word."  And He tells the Pharisees (and the rest of His listeners) that "by your words you will be justified, and by your words you are condemned."   He invites us in to this place where our mindfulness requires us to be on constant guard of what we love and what we nurture in our inner lives, because all of that is reflected in and by what we do, what "fruits" we produce.  Watching what comes out of the mouth gives us a good idea of what is inside the heart.   What He seems to be teaching regarding the "unclean spirit" in today's reading is about the importance of a constant commitment to this process.  It's not enough to think one time that something was a mistake, because it's natural that whatever habits will have won't disappear so easily.   People who struggle with the pernicious difficulties of negative self-talk, for example, understand this all too well.  But it works equally with all kinds of temptations in myriad forms.  Whatever it is, Jesus speaks of the things that separate us from God.  In effect, without a real commitment we may wind up in a place seven times worse than before.  Speaking of His family, He reaffirms what He's just stated in the negative form ("The last state of the man is worse than the first"), only in the positive flip side:  "Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."   The Pharisees can hide their behavior, anyone can feign regrets, but if the inner life doesn't really change then there is an empty space waiting for the same old behaviors and influences and motivations to take root and multiply.  To make a commitment of love to God, to seek the will of the Father, is to place oneself in a different orientation, and to unify oneself with Christ.  This becomes a constant work, a constant effort.  Speaking in terms of a spiritual battle, Jesus' talk of the Spirit and of demons remains backdrop to the human struggles we witness in the story of Christ and in our own lives.  The Pharisees have accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the ruler of demons, but Jesus explains just what demonic activity is like and how it influences people -- while we're given the juxtaposition of His emphasis on an alliance with Him, by truly seeking the will of the Father.  And so it remains:  so much depends on what we seek actively to ally ourselves with, whom we seek to please, who we love.  These are constant, ongoing choices that require an ongoing effort.  Let us recall Jesus' many teachings that His followers are not to be asleep nor complacent, but awake and alert, knowing His return could come at any time, and when we don't expect it.  We must remember that it's our job to serve with Him.  As our Master He is also our example as the Suffering Servant.

Who is my mother and who are my brothers?

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

While he was still talking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with him. Then one said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you." But he answered and said to the one who told him, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

- Matthew 12:43-50

Jesus continues his dialogue with the Pharisees and scribes. Yesterday, the scribes and Pharisees asked him for a sign to prove that he is Messiah (see Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks). Jesus replied in an echoed prophetic tone (from the Old Testament): "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign." In today's reading, he continues his speech to the Pharisees and scribes.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation." My study bible has a note on this passage: "When, by the mercy of God, the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt, they did not repent of their impure ways, and unclean spirits again took up residence in them (Deut. 31:20; 32:15-18; Ps. 106:34-39). The same happens here. Unless there is full-hearted repentance and the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, the expelled demon will return with many others and reoccupy its abode." Jesus seems to be saying that - again - our choices are most important. Without consciousness, an awareness of what we are doing with open heart (as opposed to hard-heartedness), we slip into an unawareness that drags us down more deeply along the wrong road. Repentance (Gk. metanoia - "change of mind") is that state of being spiritually awake to how we need to grow, and hence to change. Hard-heartedness conveys a rigidity that causes us only to deepen our error because of what we cannot see. In this model of spiritual choice, we don't stand still. Life moves with us or without us; we make our choices in that flow, and they are of paramount significance to our own direction.

While he was still talking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with him. Then one said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you." But he answered and said to the one who told him, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." My study bible notes, "Jesus' relatives have not understood his identity and mission. He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of my Father (v. 50). In Jewish usage 'brother' may also signify a stepbrother or other relative. " Regardless of the debate over Jesus' family relations (whether or not Mary had other children), the point of Jesus' words here is not lost. It little matters whether or not he is speaking of the brotherhood of immediate siblings or extended family relations. He is, in effect, breaking up the notion that immediate family is all there is to "family." There is a more important family that he has in mind. His family is that of those who "do the will of my Father in heaven." That is, for Jesus, "family" is conveyed through the relationship to the Father in faith and in action. If we seek to be related, therefore, to Christ, then we will seek that will for ourselves. We "pray to our Father who is in the secret place" - so that we may seek His will for ourselves, and be siblings, relatives, family to Christ. We seek to know and to do that will, as he did.

How do we come away from this passage, today's reading, understanding it in its entirety? Can we make sense of the juxtaposition of these two passages - in which Jesus finishes his talk with the scribes and Pharisees, and also responds to those telling him that his mother and brothers are waiting to speak with him? How do they fit together? It seems to me that Jesus is pointing the way to appropriate choices, and to relationship with him. We choose to seek that will of the Father or we don't. These are the two directions in the road; that fixed point from which we either run in one direction or follow along toward as best we can is, in fact, "the will of our Father in heaven." Jesus will always point toward the Father as the true good, the ultimate teacher of identity, of all reality. In this case, it is the Father that conveys relationship to all of us. In the reality of that will of the Father, we become Jesus' brother and sister and mother. This is the fixed point toward which we gravitate, to "come to ourselves" (as did the prodigal son in Jesus' parable, see Luke 15:17-19), in which find our identity. Hard-heartedness, then, or the failure to cultivate spiritual eyes and ears so that we perceive and understand spiritual wisdom, is the failure to find our true selves. We lose authenticity, we run away from the place of ultimate reality, this fixed point of the Father. What do you seek to find in life? How do you find yourself? How do you "come to yourself?" Repentance, in this scheme of things, this picture of life Christ presents to us through these gospels, becomes a series of choices in which we seek that will - and in so doing, we "come to ourselves." How do you "find yourself" today? How do we run the other way?