Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today's readings speak to us of God's boundless mercy and the profound nature of true family. In our first reading, the prophet Micah paints a beautiful picture of God as a shepherd, tending His flock, His inheritance. And what a shepherd He is! Micah proclaims, “Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin… Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us… You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” What an image! God doesn't just forgive; He casts our sins into the depths of the sea, never to be seen or remembered again. He delights in clemency, in showing compassion.

This is the heart of our God, isn't it? A God who longs to restore us, to show us His kindness and grant us His salvation, as our Psalm echoes: “Lord, show us your mercy and love.”

And then, in the Gospel, Jesus expands our understanding of family. His mother and brothers come looking for Him, and He asks, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” He then stretches out His hand toward His disciples and declares, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Jesus isn't dismissing His earthly family; He is revealing a deeper, spiritual truth. He is inviting us into a family bound not by blood alone, but by a shared commitment to doing the will of the Father. It’s a family where compassion, mercy, and love are the defining characteristics, mirroring the very heart of God that Micah describes.

Five weeks ago, our dear Benjamin Vo entered into this eternal family of God. We remember Ben today, a young man of extraordinary intellect, whose curiosity led him to explore everything from complex mathematics to the cutting edge of technology. He was a 'photocopy' of his father in ambition and a brilliant mind, yet he was also defined by his gentle heart. He had a profound empathy for others, a quiet sensitivity that truly made him a gentle soul.

That gentle spirit, that deep capacity for empathy and kindness, was Ben doing the will of his heavenly Father, wasn't it? He lived out that call to love goodness and to be compassionate, reflecting the very clemency and compassion of God that Micah speaks of. He was a son of the Father, a brother in Christ, by his very nature.

For his parents, Alan and Thao, for his brother Ryan, and for all his aunts, uncles, and loved ones, the grief is immense. It is natural to feel lost, to long for his physical presence. But today’s readings remind us that Ben is now part of God's eternal family, enveloped in that boundless mercy. And by striving to live with compassion and kindness, we too become brothers and sisters to Christ, and to one another, united in the Father’s will.

To everyone carrying a heavy cross, to every family enduring loss, to every child who is suffering, whether you are here with us or tuning in from afar: God casts your sorrow into the depths of the sea. He delights in clemency for you. He sees your pain, and He extends His hand, drawing you into His family, where you are welcomed, seen, and held by His unwavering love. May we find comfort in this promise of God's enduring, merciful love, knowing that Benjamin is now at peace within that sacred family, interceding for us all.