Today’s first reading and the Gospel both address the relationship between good and evil. In the reading from Genesis, we hear how the Fall from Grace deals with the origin of evil. Adam and Eve are called out by God for having disobeyed His commandment not to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. They each gradually admit their guilt by placing blame elsewhere, including on the serpent. God will hold them accountable for their disobedience. Although we only hear part of the story today, we know that innocence is lost and the human propensity to sin enters the human scene. In the Gospel reading, we hear another disturbing story about how Jesus is rejected in His hometown. He is called a madman by His own relatives. Scribes from Jerusalem want to seize Him, accusing Him of being possessed by Satan. Jesus addresses these accusations by pointing out the only “unforgiveable sin.” It is calling the Holy Spirit Satan and the works of God the works of Satan. All other sins will be forgiven but not the sin of confusing light with darkness and good with evil. As the Gospel ends Jesus is told that His Mother and brothers and sisters (i.e., His close relatives) are asking for Him. And Jesus replies that all who are seated with Him are His mother and His brothers. “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” To understand today’s readings, we must place them in context of the entire scripture. We know that after the “Fall” by Adam and Eve, God created a plan of salvation that in the fullness of time would redeem all humanity through Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. And Jesus is not disowning His own relatives or His own Holy Mother. To the contrary, He is inviting others to join Him in establishing the new Kingdom of God where all will be His family. It is to make the family of God larger, not smaller. Jesus’ true family are all who follow Him and act on the will of God. God’s plan of salvation will triumph. And that is the Good News! Will we make the choice to be in the “family” of Jesus? The choice first begins in Baptism. However, this choice must be made by each of us over and over every day of our life.