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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
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Gospel text (Lk 8:19-21): The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Obedience in Jesus is the true worship to God

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, Christ exacts our obedience. The "letter to the Hebrews" describes Old Testament worship as a "shadow" in view of the inadequacy of animal sacrifices that God does not require and which man does not give God what He might expect from man. Authentic worship of God is to be found within a life marked by His Word.

However, our obedience is always lacking. Our personal morality is not enough to properly worship God. For this reason the Son of God becomes flesh; He takes on a human body. In this way a new obedience becomes possible, an obedience that surpasses all human fulfillment of God’s Commandments. The Son becomes man and in His Body bears the whole of humanity back to God. Only the incarnate Word, whose love is fulfilled on the Cross, is perfect obedience of the Son; it is the new sacrifice.

—O Jesus, You who are God incarnate, take us all with you and offer what we could not give just by ourselves.