Youth for Christ Sto. Tomas Cluster

01242012, Tuesday

2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19, Psalm 24

Gospel: Mark 3:31-35

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside the house and sent in a message, asking for him. A crowd was sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, and they want you.”

Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” He looked at the people sitting around him and said, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what God wants is my brother, my sister, my mother.”

Photo By: Nes Zeus

Sometimes we ask ourselves, “Are we doing the right thing?” And, as we get deeper into our reflection, we ask further, “Is this is really the will of God?  Are these really part of God’s plan?”

Let me tell you a story.

Once there was a Man with twelve brothers. You see, they were preparing to go to a voyage across the world. Their mission was to sail the seven seas and look for lands unknown. When the people heard of this, they thought it was hilarious and thought of the brothers as crazy, as well as the Man who planned the whole thing. Nevertheless, the Man believed in His brothers, and so they went to find and to explore the unknown. Let us know these brothers shall we?

Andrew – He’s the inspector of some sort, checking and making sure that the ship was worthy to sail.

Bartholomew – He’s the most cheerful of the brothers. Often he would cheer them up in times of despair, especially when they feel lost and alone in the vast sea.

James I – He’s the navigator of the ship. Whenever his brothers were lost, he always led them to the right direction

James II – The Weatherman. James the second would always see to it that whenever He and his brothers would enter a storm he’s always there to guide and protect them from it.

Judas – He was the all-around man. One day, pirates came storming to the ship and offered gold in exchange for the Captain’s life. Judas made a choice of exchanging the Captain for gold. He did this in order to save his life, and unknowingly, his Brothers’ lives. If he hadn’t done that, they all would’ve been dead by now. Unfortunately, losing his Captain was too great for him. He left the ship and went someplace else.

Jude – He was the problem solver of the group. Whenever they find themselves having to make a decision, Jude would always step in to solve the problem. Even when a solution is hard to be found, he would always have one.

John – Called the Loyal Brother. Loyal that until the point where in John saw the pirates arresting the Captain; he disguised himself and remained with the captain till the end.

Matthew – He was the Brother of Functions; from his title he did all the functional stuffs that others might find boring or too tedious.

Peter – The unfaithful leader, throughout their voyage Peter said that he is faithful to the Captain. The Captain sensed greatness in Him. The time came that the Captain was to be arrested and Peter hid himself into the storage of the ship where he remained throughout the conflict. But soon after, Peter realized what the Captain had said to him, “You will lead these brothers of yours, you will lead them to peace,” thus Peter was considered the second in command of the ship and later the captain of the ship after the Captain’s arrest.

Philip – He’s the lookout, a goal oriented person. He’d do everything he can to achieve their goals

Simon – The Carpenter of the ship. His mission was to fill the void within the ship.

Thomas – Thomas is the one who was always in doubt, a double checker. He made sure that everything was always double checked.

The Captain – The Captain was extraordinary, He was incomparable to all of these brothers. The Captain knew what was to happen. He knew where they were headed to, and everything there was to know. You see the He did this, planned this for His brothers for them to know their strengths and for them to realize their worth. In the end the Captain was traded to the pirates that captured their ship to spare the brothers’ lives. The Captain was killed through the Cross.

Does the story sound familiar to you? If yes, well this is the story of Jesus Christ and His apostles and their mission to spread the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The ship represents us and the brothers, the mission.

Sometimes we are like Peter, unfaithful to our families, friends and love ones, but we learn from those mistakes and continue to lead others out of those mistakes as well. Sometimes we are like Judas who, at some point, betrayed someone to the point of no return. We did what we thought of to be right and someone or something paid the price. But it had to happen just like Christ’s Crucifixion. Sometimes we are navigators, lookouts, and problem solvers. We guide our love ones to what we believe to be the right path. Other times we become the functional one, the one that is there just because we are needed such as Matthew and Simon.

My friend, whenever we find ourselves confused of what God wants us to do, remember these Brothers (apostles) and find inspiration in them. Remember they were all humans too just like us, sinners, murderers, traitors, but also a friend.

The question is who among the brothers are you right now? Do you find yourself in a storm? Or are you lost in vastness of the sea? Is there anything broken in your ship? Or have you abandoned your ship and found a new one? My friend you are destined to be just like one of the brothers, reflect on them and find answer within their conquest and pray that the all-knowing Captain be always with you and remain in you. Amen

“In everything that we do may it be in accordance to His will and may it be for His glory, Amen.”

Writer: Bruce Alzona | Artist: Nes Zeus

via CFCYOUTHFORCHRIST.NET