When I was growing up the world was divided up into Catholics and Publics (those who didn’t go to Catholic School.) Later in life when I met some people of Irish descent I found I didn’t belong because I was “not one of our own.” The formation into tribe or clan is basic in human beings — probably biological to protect the gene pool. Jesus asks us to resist this natural tendency and find the supernatural truth that we are all part of one family, the family of God. “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Biology does not define us, grace does. As we go through this day see if you can look beyond the obvious differences of gender, race, nationality, language and recognize instead a brother or sister.
