耶穌的親人
瑪竇福音 12:46-50
曾聽過人說,在這篇讀經中,耶穌不認祂的親人,包括祂的母親,或把他們拒之門外。但留意耶穌並沒有否認祂的母親和兄弟是祂的親人,反而是藉這機會宣講一個重要的道理:祂的親人不只是血脈相連的人,而是只要遵行天父旨意的人,就是祂的親人。
因此,耶穌這句話也承認聖母瑪利亞是祂的親人,因她虛心接受天主對她的召叫,成為救主的母親,並參與及配合天主的救世工程。正如曾經有個婦人對耶穌說:「懷過你的胎,及你所吮吸過的乳房,是有福的!」耶穌的回答是:「可是那聽天主的話而遵行的人,更是有福的!」(Luke 11:27-28) 聖母被稱為萬福瑪利亞,因她遵行天主旨意的原因大於她是耶穌母親這身份。
耶穌無條件地愛我們每一個人,但祂需要我們的回應,那就是愛天主在萬有之上,並且遵行天父的旨意。那麼我們就是祂的親人,亦即是同為天主聖父的兒女。
Matthew 12:46-50
Some interprets that in this bible passage, Jesus is rejecting His family members, including His mother. However, Jesus did not reject them, but rather took this opportunity to make a very important point: His family members are not limited to those who related to Him biologically, but include those who do His Father’s will.
Therefore, this statement also acknowledges Mary as His mother, because she humbly accepted God’s call on her as the Savior’s mother, taking up an important role in God’s salvation plan. As at another occasion, a woman from the crowd called out and said to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” And Jesus replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:27-28) Jesus was not saying Mary, being His mother who carried Him in her womb and nursed Him, is not blessed, but rather, He is saying her faith, humility and obedience in following God’s will, is a greater reason she is blessed and highly favored in God’s eyes, more than the fact that she is Jesus’ biological mother.
Jesus loves each of us unconditionally, but He needs our response to His love, and that is to love God in the highest, and do His will. Then, we are Jesus’ family members, and the sons and daughters of His Father in Heaven.