“BOOM, GISING!” were words printed on the coffee cup that was served to me. The words caught my attention. The timing was perfect because I was feeling sleepy before my meeting. But was reading that enough to wake me up? Definitely not!

I had to drink the coffee to let the caffeine enter my system. Because reading the words on a cup was not enough.

Just like our faith life, we think that knowing Jesus is enough. We say things like, “I don’t need the Mass because I can read the Bible myself.” “I don’t need to serve in the church, charity work is enough.” “I don’t need a prayer support group because I’m doing OK.”

But the truth is, it’s never enough. Knowing Jesus is only the first step. Following Him transforms us. That’s why we need to live what Jesus taught us. We need to follow God’s will for our lives. That’s how we become true brothers and sisters of Jesus. 

Alvin Fabella (alvinfabella@yahoo.com)

reflect

God’s family is not defined by blood relations but by those who do the will of God. If we want to follow Jesus, we need to follow Him all the way.

Lord, teach me to have a humble heart so I may follow You. Amen.

St. Angela Merici, virgin, pray for us.

David and the people of Israel are celebrating the presence of God. For them, the Ark of the Covenant represents the Lord’s glory dwelling in their midst. The Israelites believed that if the people were faithful to God, then He would bring them victory on the battlefield. It was not necessarily about the numbers of soldiers. They believe victory depended on being faithful to God and His covenant. 

¹² David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities. ¹³ As soon as the bearers of the ark of the Lord had advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴ Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the Lord with abandon, ¹⁵ as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn. ¹⁷ The ark of the Lord was brought in and set in its place within the tent David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ When he finished making these offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. ¹⁹ He then distributed among all the people, to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel, a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left for their homes.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R: Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

⁷ Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) ⁸ Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. (R) ⁹ Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) ¹⁰ Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts; he is the king of glory. (R)

Gospel | Mark 3:31-35

Jesus often tells the people and His disciples that He is obedient to the Father’s will in all that He does. In today’s Gospel, Jesus turns the words of the crowd around and proclaims that those who do the will of God are the most blessed of all. Do our lives reflect Jesus’ exhortation? Let us take a few moments to ponder this. 

Gospel Acclamation

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

³¹ The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to Jesus and called him. ³² A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” ³³ But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

Read the Bible in one year! Read ACTS 17 - 20 today.

Isn’t it true that sometimes the bond you share with friends can feel even deeper than with family? This isn’t wrong, because in truth, we are all one family—children of the same Creator. When Jesus came, His mission was to unite us as brothers and sisters—as one family.

What Jesus wants to emphasize in today’s Gospel is that true kinship with Him goes beyond blood relations. He says, “Whoever does the will of God is My mother and brother and sister.” What Jesus values most are those who follow God’s will. This obedience is what connects us to Jesus and the Father. We become true children of God by living according to His will. Then, we are not just followers but family—brothers and sisters of Christ.

The Gospel clearly points to Mary as Jesus’ mother. Jesus could never disrespect the woman who gave Him life. But in a broader sense, anyone who carries Jesus in their heart and lives by His will can be called His mother. In the Church’s language, Mary is the “Theotokos,” meaning “God-bearer.” In every sacrament, we receive God’s grace, carrying Him within us wherever we go. When we live God’s will by doing good and spreading the Good News, we give birth to Jesus in the world.

If every Christian truly embraced their identity as God’s family, compassion and care would flourish not only among believers but throughout the world. Our love and example can draw others closer to our faith and unite communities. Sadly, even fellow Christians and Catholics sometimes treat each other harshly because of different beliefs or groups. Sometimes, what is most needed is compassion and kindness as brothers and sisters. Let us never forget that we share one Father and we are all siblings in Christ. Our connection to Christ is not just about blood or church membership—it is a deeper reality grounded in following His will. 

Fr. Franz Dizon

reflection question

How can you show greater love and unity to your brothers and sisters in faith, especially those who may think or believe differently from you?

Loving Father, You have called us to be one family. Please bless us with the unity we deeply long for. May our hearts be filled with compassion and our lives guided by Your will, so that we may follow Jesus’ example in everything we do. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ________________________________________