St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 46 - 50, Family Relationships.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus and His brethren). 

In the midst of his prophecy concerning the Pharisees, Christ is interrupted and  someone said to him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing outside, seeking thee."    For while he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brethren were standing outside, seeking to speak to him.   

Christ uses every opportunity to teach.  He uses every opportunity to open eyes and to challenge minds to understand truths.   He has finished taking to task the Pharisees and now he uses this opportunity concerning his relatives to demonstrate that we are all children of God.  We are all family.  We are all brothers and sisters and mothers, belonging to Christ and to God.  For this must have been a shocking expression to the people standing about him that he would not stop what he was doing, give precedence to his family, mother and brothers, to speak with them.  But Christ seized upon the moment to challenge the minds of the people to think beyond the flesh.  He challenged the crowd to expand their minds, their thoughts, their feelings, their understanding of who they were and the family they belonged to.

Christ asked the man who told him of his relatives,  '' Who is my mother and who are my brethren?"   This was a question that must have shocked the man and the crowd for they knew Mary and the relatives of Christ.  Some had spoken with Mary.  Some knew where she was from.  Some knew his brothers.  So for Christ to ask this question must have shocked the crowd that he would not know who they were or that he would ask who they were.  But Christ wanted to teach.  He wanted to inform.  He wanted the people to know who they were and the family they were a part of.

And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said, "Behold my mother and my brethren!"  And this demonstration must have been even more proof that something was wrong.  For Christ had, in the eyes of the crowd, forsaken his natural mother and brothers for the disciples.  He had called and spoken of them as though they gave birth to him, which could imply such dishonor to his natural mother.  But Christ was a teacher.  Christ was a healer.  Christ was the Messiah and he had to shock the people to wake them up from their dream world that they may know who they were and know their heavenly family. 

Christ did not bring dishonor to Mary.  He did not bring slight to his brothers.  But, what he did do is to help the people put in perspective their relationship to each other.  For we are all brothers and sisters and mothers of each other.  For Christ then told the crowd,  "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother."   For who gives birth to Christ?  Who is related to Christ?  Who is the sister of Christ?  He who carries the spirit of Christ within him and does the will of the Father in heaven and on earth is the mother and brother, and sister of Christ.


And Christ taught.  He showed the people that he should spend no less time with those who are his natural mother and brothers than with those who are his spiritual brothers and sisters and mothers.  For spiritual mothers give birth to the spirit of Christ in their children when they do the will of God.  And spiritual brothers carry the message of Christ within them and spread the good news of the kingdom of heaven.  And spiritual sisters marry and love those who need the love of Christ in their lives that they may in turn bring forth the eternal life of Christ in others.


We all are brothers and sisters and mothers of Christ when we do God's will.  Are you a mother of Christ?  Are you a brother of Christ?  Are you a sister of Christ?  The will of God is the tie that binds us all in one heavenly family.   Do you belong to the family?  

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 45, The Unoccupied House: Seven evil guest are invited in.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 5. 

Christ continues his parable of the house unoccupied.  He has told the Pharisees about what an unclean spirit does when he leaves a man, how it roams through dry places and finds no place to rest.  But when it tires it returns to the place of previous occupancy and finds it unoccupied, swept and decorated, ready for occupancy.  The Pharisees have wondered how this parable relates to them because they believe that they have no unclean spirits.  After all, they are the keepers of the Law.  They are the protectors of the Hebrew people and they are the scholars who know and love the scriptures.  But they do not have unclean spirits.

Christ concludes his parable with,  "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.  So shall it be with this evil generation also."  

And so the parable is finished and the conclusion is drawn, the prediction of Pharisees' destiny.  It is foretold that they will be inhabited by seven more unclean spirits more evil than the first.  It is foretold that their state will be worse than the first state they were in.  For Christ has again called them an evil generation.  He has again foretold of their downfall.  He has again shown them their future that they may repent and be saved.  But again they do not listen.  Again they do not take heed of the message.  And in the interim their house is still left unoccupied for unclean spirits to come in and make their state worse than the present.

Thank you God for your mercy!  Thank you God for your patience!  Thank you God for the love that you bear for your children!  For we are not an evil generation, but just lost sheep seeking to find our shepherd.  You have told us of our future.  You have given us the message of what will happen from our current state when the unclean spirits return.  You have given us an opportunity to get our house in order that we may not be unoccupied.  You have told us of the seven more unclean spirits to come, that will live with us, making our state worse than the first.  Help us to find the true owner that should live with us.  Help us find the living words of Christ that we may beseech the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.  Forgive us of our sins and have patience that we may be able to repent before the thief comes.  

Do you have unclean spirits dwelling with you?  Do you have a house unoccupied ready for more evil to dwell with you?  Come, open your house to Christ.  Open your doors to the living word that you may have life.  Seek the Holy Spirit that you may know true life, true love, true justice, true peace, and the true God.

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 43 - 44, The Unoccupied House: The Unclean Spirit Leaves.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 4. 

The Pharisees have heard the evidence against them.  They have heard of the witnesses that will rise to testify against them.  Their fate is sealed.  Their destiny foretold.  Christ still offers them the opportunity to repent.  He still reaches out a hand and opens a door for them to enter into to escape damnation.  But they refuse.  They cling to their desire for power.  They hold to their roles of authority and they listen to the whisperings of the demons that counsel them to their destruction.

Christ tells a parable, his first.  He says, "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he roams through dry places in search of rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house which I left'; and when he has come to it, he finds the place unoccupied, swept and decorated."    

The unclean spirits have claimed the Pharisees.  They own the house.  They live in them.  They know them.  For they have lived with them for many years.  And with them they have found rest.  Rest, that they can perform the evil that they do.  Rest, that they can recruit others to do evil in their names.  Rest, that they can challenge any who may come against them to cast them out.  For the heart is the resting place for those who do evil.  Darkness is the light that they live by.  Hatred is the doctrine that they practice against those who would believe in Christ. 

And Christ tells the Pharisees this parable of the unclean spirits.  He speaks to them in riddles that they may not understand the truth of what he speaks.  He speaks to the unclean spirits that lie within them that they may know that he is the Messiah.  For the unclean spirits have made their home in the Pharisees.  Even when they leave they return and find the home unoccupied, swept and cleaned as if waiting for a new occupant.  But they are the owners of the home and no others have come in.  The Pharisees had a vacancy.  They were without any other spirits.  And the Holy Spirit does not reside in them.

Is your house unoccupied, swept and clean, waiting for someone to come in?  Will unclean spirits make you their home or will you welcome the Holy Spirit?  Do you have a vacancy sign advertising your house or is it already occupied?  Christ seeks to come in.  He seek to live with you.  He seeks to know you.  He seeks to love you.  But, how can he, if you do not let him in?  How can he, if your house is already occupied?  There are only two occupants.  One does not live with the other.  Which do you prefer in your house?  Which do you prefer to guide your life?  Which do you prefer to counsel with?  Which do you prefer to stand with you on the day of judgment when the witnesses are brought before you?  Will it be the unclean spirits of Satan?  Or will it be the Holy Spirit of Christ?  The choice is yours.  You cannot stay unoccupied for long for you live in an unclean world and it will take hold of you.  Make your choice.  Seek the Holy occupant and open the door to Christ.