Who Is Your Family?

A Teaching of the Perennialist Master, Jesus of Nazareth

Who Is Your True Family?

Matthew 12 Mark 3 Luke 8

While he was still talking to the crowds (after the Pharisees had demanded a sign), his mother (Mary) and his brothers happened to be standing outside wanting to speak to him. Somebody said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside wanting to speak to you."
But Jesus replied to the one who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"; then with a gesture of his hand towards his disciples he went on, "There are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me."
Matthew 12:46-50
While he was still talking to the crowds (after the Pharisees had demanded a sign), his mother (Mary) and his brothers happened to be standing outside wanting to speak to him. Somebody said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside wanting to speak to you."
But Jesus replied to the one who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"; then with a gesture of his hand towards his disciples he went on, "There are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me."
Mark 3:31-35
Then (as Jesus continued teaching in parables) his mother and his brothers arrived to see him, but could not get near him because of the crowd. So a message was passed to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you."
To which he replied, "My mother and my brothers? That means those who listen to God's message and obey it."

Luke 18:19-21

No Second Chance
(A Perennialist Teaching)

A man who came from a family well known for its adherence to the beliefs of a Christian sect of enthusiasts, met a sage and said to him:
'I have for many years tried resolutely to follow the path of righteousness. Believing the religious teachings which I received from my parents, I have for long contented myself with spending my time and effort in the cause of godliness. I have been spending weekends with my family for the last twenty years, believing that such service is in line with true devoutness. I have pursued this path of piety out of respect for the teachings of my youth. I would be able to study with you at any time, other than those weekends which I must spend with my family.'
The sage, whom tradition names as Khwaja Ahrar, the Lord of the Free, answered:
'You would first have to repent of your own self-esteem, which makes you imagine that you have a primary responsibility to those you take to be your family. You would have to awaken to the fact that you are caught in the web of self-delusion because you follow false assumptions and specious teachings, such as presuming that your birth family is your true spiritual family.'
'What should I do?' asked the man.
'Come to me with an open heart and without conditions, even if such conditions are the spending of time with your birth family. Do not try to approach the Perennial Tradition with the demand that your assumptions be accepted as true, that I fit into your personal schedule, or that I appear to be reasonable,' said the Master.' The opportunity to experience Perennialist exercises is of inestimable worth, beyond your comprehension, and would be seen by you as the most important thing in your life--if you had the insight prerequisite for the quest for Truth. And you would have to understand that your true family, as Jesus and other savants taught, consists of those on the Perennialist Path. Your capacity even to form an opinion about me is impaired, and I for one refuse to rely upon it.'
But quite naturally, afraid that he might be making a mistake, the man continued in the teachings and feelings of his familiar faith, because it comforted him and made him feel that what he was doing was in the path of righteousness. He felt that Khwaja Ahrar should allow his study with him to be adjusted to the schedule of spending time with his family.
Years passed, during which time the man began to see through the subterfuge of his assumptions and self-delusions. And since his parents had passed on, he felt that he could begin his search for Truth once more. The man made his way back to the house of Khwaja Ahrar and was met by a disciple of Khwaja Ahrar.
'I have come, in all submission,' he informed the disciple, 'to place myself in the hands of the Lord of the Free, as if I were a corpse in the hands of the washer of the dead.'
'Good sir, said the disciple, 'your resolve seems excellent, and much like that of those whom the Master Khwaja Ahrar often accepted as initiates when they made petition for study. But, unfortunately Khwaja Arar has passed on to the land of Infinite Reward. There can be no second chance for you in this life to study with the Master.'

Matthew 12	Mark 3	Luke 8
While he was still talking to the crowds (after the Pharisees had demanded a sign), his mother (Mary) and his brothers happened to be standing outside wanting to speak to him. Somebody said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside wanting to speak to you." But Jesus replied to the one who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"; then with a gesture of his hand towards his disciples he went on, "There are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me." Matthew 12:46-50	While he was still talking to the crowds (after the Pharisees had demanded a sign), his mother (Mary) and his brothers happened to be standing outside wanting to speak to him. Somebody said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside wanting to speak to you." But Jesus replied to the one who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"; then with a gesture of his hand towards his disciples he went on, "There are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me." Mark 3:31-35	Then (as Jesus continued teaching in parables) his mother and his brothers arrived to see him, but could not get near him because of the crowd. So a message was passed to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you." To which he replied, "My mother and my brothers? That means those who listen to God's message and obey it." Luke 18:19-21

No Second Chance (A Perennialist Teaching)
A man who came from a family well known for its adherence to the beliefs of a Christian sect of enthusiasts, met a sage and said to him: 'I have for many years tried resolutely to follow the path of righteousness. Believing the religious teachings which I received from my parents, I have for long contented myself with spending my time and effort in the cause of godliness. I have been spending weekends with my family for the last twenty years, believing that such service is in line with true devoutness. I have pursued this path of piety out of respect for the teachings of my youth. I would be able to study with you at any time, other than those weekends which I must spend with my family.' The sage, whom tradition names as Khwaja Ahrar, the Lord of the Free, answered: 'You would first have to repent of your own self-esteem, which makes you imagine that you have a primary responsibility to those you take to be your family. You would have to awaken to the fact that you are caught in the web of self-delusion because you follow false assumptions and specious teachings, such as presuming that your birth family is your true spiritual family.' 'What should I do?' asked the man. 'Come to me with an open heart and without conditions, even if such conditions are the spending of time with your birth family. Do not try to approach the Perennial Tradition with the demand that your assumptions be accepted as true, that I fit into your personal schedule, or that I appear to be reasonable,' said the Master.' The opportunity to experience Perennialist exercises is of inestimable worth, beyond your comprehension, and would be seen by you as the most important thing in your life--if you had the insight prerequisite for the quest for Truth. And you would have to understand that your true family, as Jesus and other savants taught, consists of those on the Perennialist Path. Your capacity even to form an opinion about me is impaired, and I for one refuse to rely upon it.' But quite naturally, afraid that he might be making a mistake, the man continued in the teachings and feelings of his familiar faith, because it comforted him and made him feel that what he was doing was in the path of righteousness. He felt that Khwaja Ahrar should allow his study with him to be adjusted to the schedule of spending time with his family. Years passed, during which time the man began to see through the subterfuge of his assumptions and self-delusions. And since his parents had passed on, he felt that he could begin his search for Truth once more. The man made his way back to the house of Khwaja Ahrar and was met by a disciple of Khwaja Ahrar. 'I have come, in all submission,' he informed the disciple, 'to place myself in the hands of the Lord of the Free, as if I were a corpse in the hands of the washer of the dead.' 'Good sir, said the disciple, 'your resolve seems excellent, and much like that of those whom the Master Khwaja Ahrar often accepted as initiates when they made petition for study. But, unfortunately Khwaja Arar has passed on to the land of Infinite Reward. There can be no second chance for you in this life to study with the Master.'