Scripture for Your Inner Outcasts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 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.

Speaker 2: Welcome to Scripture for your inner outcasts. Today is September 22nd, 2026. Tuesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time. Today we're joined by Justin Brown, an IFS trained therapist licensed in Illinois and Texas.

Speaker 1: In today's gospel, Luke chapter eight, verses 19 to 21, we hear 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. Dear exiles who carry shame and feel you don't belong, who feel you are not wanted or feel you aren't enough. I want to extend an invitation to you to be present for this episode. I'd like to speak to you directly and you're welcome to just be present and listen if you'd like. Maybe you know what it feels like. You young, tender exiles to look at other people and think. Look at who they know, look at what they do, look at what they have. And then you compare. Maybe you wonder why your life doesn't look like theirs. Maybe you see others surrounded by important people accomplishing impressive things, traveling to beautiful places, living in a beautiful home, receiving attention and admiration. And you conclude they matter. They belong. People want them around. And I'm not enough. I haven't done enough. I've done poorly and I'm ashamed. We live in a culture that can reinforce this message every day. Social media gives you a window into other people's highlight reels. Celebrity and secular culture influences you as to who is important, who is beautiful, who is successful, and who deserves attention. After seeing enough of it, you may begin to believe that belonging works the same way with Jesus. Maybe you believe you exiles that Jesus has an inner circle too. Like the really holy people, the saints, the people who know more than you, who pray better than you, who have done something impressive with their lives.

Speaker 1: You might believe you are further away in the outer social circles of Jesus. But listen to what happens in this gospel. Jesus is told that his mother and his brothers are outside. The ones who would seem to hold the greatest weight regarding deserving to be close to him. Then Jesus says, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the Word of God and act on it. Jesus takes the language of his own family and opens it outward. That means his measure of belonging is very different from the one you may have learned. Jesus does not say, my brothers are the people everyone knows, and my family is made up of the most accomplished, impressive people. He says those who hear the Word of God and act on it are his family. You don't need more success, accomplished friends, recognition, better looks, money, more holiness. Young exile who feels inadequate. Jesus is saying, you don't need any of that. Your life, which began and is held in existence by his love is enough and he wants you near. He invites you, young exile, who believes you are less than to simply turn toward him and hear his word by hearing his word. You are with him, and by being with him you can trust he will lead your actions in cooperation with his will. Maybe you still feel ordinary. That feeling may not disappear immediately, but perhaps when it comes, you can remember. Jesus simply asks, Will you hear me? Will you follow me? You are enough, and you belong much closer to him than you think.

Speaker 2: It's that time of year again when souls and hearts is program of human formation. The resilient Catholic's community opens up to new members. The Saint Nicholas cohort will be open for applications from October 1st through 31st, and a week from today. We will have a no commitment informational Zoom meeting that's on September 29th, 2026 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. More details below.

Speaker 1: Let's end with our invocations. Our Lady, our mother. Entire of nuts. Pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist pray for us.