Are You In God’s Family?

Hebrews 10:1-10
Mark 3:31-35

Today, we celebrate the feast of St Francis de Sales. He was a bishop who lived intimately with God.  Here is one of his famous spirituality, “ Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.”  Any deeper relationship demands time spent in mutual conversation and fellowship.   This a personal relationship with Christ is the source of great joy.

In so many ways, God wants to have a close relationship with us. Jesus offers throughout the Gospels in different ways an invitation of intimacy with Himself!  He uses some of the closest human relationships of a mother or brother or sister to indicate how close He wants to be with us. Christ says, “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” John 15 :3 

We are God’s family and ‘just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9. This heartfelt closeness to Christ is the core of our Christian faith.  Without this warm association with Jesus, our religion sinks into cold rules and regulations.  It misses the joy of the Gospel, the hidden treasure, the priceless pearl of Christ!

Fr Joseph Osho