From Father’s Desk: 27th Sunday in OT

The Letter to the Hebrews is a wonderful summary of salvation history and therefore is one of my favorite books of the Bible. In today’s second reading the author writes about how Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, humbled Himself to become for a little while lower than the angels. It is because of this that the God-Man, the new and perfect Adam, the creator of all things can look upon you and me, His creations, and call Himself our brother!

There is a long scriptural story as to why that is amazing and narratively speaking necessary. However, I cannot get over the incredible nature of Jesus being called our ‘brother’. You see, I have four brothers so I know what a brother is. I know that brothers are your best friends and the first ones that you fight with. They are the first ones that will fight with you and the first that will fight for you. Brothers laugh at any show of pride and they are bound and determined to humble you if you get too big of a head about you. They are also the first ones to try to lift you up if you fall down too far. Brothers are the ones that you go exploring with, that you take risks with, that you come ask for help when you took the wrong risk!

In many ways the word ‘brother’ just does not fit for Jesus. He is the creator and so wholly holy He is set apart from us. Yet, in all the ways I mentioned above I think this title does fit for Him. He will humble us and raise us up depending on the moment, He fights for us even if we spend a good deal of our time fighting with Him. He is the one who takes risks with you and you fall back on when your risk did not quite work out. Perhaps He laughs at your pride and is your first friend. Think of that! The creator, the God-Man and savior of the whole world is your first friend, your brother!