Time Travel: Homily for Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Time travel. Memory is something that is just wonderful for us to consider. In fact, when we come to Mass, it’s a special type of memory that we participate in, an anamnesis. Which takes an event that occurred and makes it present always, that Jesus does that. Readings for Today.

Time Travel

We have the ability to time travel. Because of an amazing faculty that we all possess, memory. Now we know our time travel when it evolves, memory is not always as accurate as we think it is. But nonetheless, it makes powerful events from the past real again to us as we remember them.

It makes stories that were funny in the moment, funny again. But time travel is also something that can lead to sadness. Because we can remember sad events as well. Become overwhelmed by them sometimes even. And if it’s trauma, the problem is that you can’t turn the faculty off. It remains forever and ever.

Nonetheless, it is something, memory is something that is just wonderful for us to consider. In fact, when we come to Mass, it’s a special type of memory that we participate in, an anamnesis. Which takes an event that occurred and makes it present always, that Jesus does that.

The first reading is one of memories. Micah is calling the people to remind, reminding the people rather, to think about the events of the past. All that God has done in the past. And recognizing how tremendous are the deeds of God that have occurred.

So tremendous that it poses a question, who is there like you? The God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance. I do wonder sometimes what the memories of Mary were like. The Chosen has really tender moments where Mary is remembering Jesus as a little boy. As one who was in the house. And that’s only natural and human for any mother.

But I wonder what her memories are like today. They want to speak with Jesus, his mother and his relatives. And they get an unusual response from Jesus. It could almost appear that Jesus is disowning his mother. Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? These are all my brothers.

And I wonder if in those moments, Mary wondered about Jesus. We know they came at one point, she and his relatives, to come to get Jesus because they thought he was out of his mind. Jesus is a preacher on the move. I wonder how many times he got to visit his mother at home.

There is the stress and the tension of mission. Jesus is on a mission that takes him away from his mother. The same can be true for each one of us. But Jesus in today’s gospel gives us hope. That the beauty of Mary, that the great gift of Mary is her faith. Not her relationship with Jesus biologically.

We can share in this great relationship. Such is the message of today’s gospel. That by following Jesus, we have the invitation to an intimate relationship with him. We have the opportunity to work to discover the great things that God wants to do in our lives. The great things that God can enable us to do through the power of his grace. Today, Jesus extends an invitation to each one of us. Act like my brother, my sister, my mother.

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