July 20, 2005
“Blood is thicker than water”. All of us have heard this age-old maxim. It simply means than the bonds of family and homeland are stronger than the bonds of mere friendship and acquaintance. So, when push comes to shove, if there’s space for only one person on the life raft and your cousin and co-worker are standing there, guess who gets the shove?
Yet, in the Holy Gospels, Our Lord reveals that there exists a bond stronger than blood or background. When informed that his brothers and mother are outside waiting to see Him, Our Blessed Lord extended His hands toward His disciples gathered about Him and said: “Who are my mother and brothers? Those who do the will of my Father are mother, brother and sister to me”.
What at first appears to be a rebuke actually isn’t. In fact, it only reaffirms that special place Mary held in the sacred heart of her Son. The bond between the two was quite unique. Not only do they both share the same blood, but they also share the same unrelenting fidelity to the will of God the Father. On both accounts, blood and spirit, the mother is much like her son.
Mary and Jesus would have been more than similar – indeed, they would have been more like twins – physically and also spiritually! I say this because since Our Lord had no human father, it would be Mary alone who would have provided the full genetic code – the Child would therefore bear a striking, uncanny resemblance to His mother. The way I see it, since Our Lady was very beautiful, that means Our Lord would have been very handsome.
Also consider that as Our Lady was preserved from the stain of original sin, every thought, word, and deed of hers would be in total conformity to the will of the Father. Besides, don’t forget that really holy people possess a special beauty which is more than skin deep, in fact, it radiates from the depths of their being. Were Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II beautiful people? You bet!
The “brothers” spoken about in this portion of Scripture seem to imply for some the fact that Mary had other children. Such an opinion goes contrary to the most ancient tradition of the Church. This is the very reason it is a defined dogma of the Church - because the Christian people always knew this fact. Whatever others might say, imply, suggest, or think about – the Catholic Christian affirms that the sinless Virgin Mary bore only one child, the God-man Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the World. Case closed!
I might add, the title “brother” used in this account must have meant “cousin” or even a native of Nazareth. I hope no one doing a historical study on the Franciscans of the Renewal comes to some crazy conclusion that the friars were all blood brothers! I hear this question all the time, “How many brothers do you now have?” (By the way, the answer is 88 - and more, thank God, coming!)
In addition, logic tells us that Saint Joseph died before his foster son Jesus; his absence at Our Lord’s crucifixion is quite evident. This is why Jesus had to entrust the care of His mother to John – there was no blood brother or blood sister – but there was someone even closer, his beloved disciple, John.
So, who are these “disciples” that they can be called both children of God the Father and brothers and sisters of God the Son? They are men, women and children who live in every age, country, climate, culture, and condition. They are rich and poor, educated and illiterate, blue blood and blue collar, many popes and plenty of paupers. They are the many who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and because of this profession, place every human relationship in right order – beginning with God.
Yes, the sanctifying and regenerating waters of baptism are indeed “thicker” than blood, a bond not broken but made even stronger by death.
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
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