"He is out of his mind." Mk 3:21
In today’s Gospel, we hear that some of Jesus’s relatives thought He had lost His mind. His words and actions seemed unbelievable to those that thought they knew Him. At the same time, His powerful works amazed some in the crowd while drawing sharp criticism from the scribes and those who fail to recognize the source of His power. Jesus strongly rebukes those who confuse God’s power with an evil spirit. Only by remaining close to God and obedient to Him will we be able to recognize God’s presence among us.
“…whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Mk 3:35
The story of the
unbelieving relatives and scribes is connected to another little story about
the arrival of Jesus’s mother and His closest relatives. Upon hearing they are
waiting outside to see Him, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach His listeners
that obedience to God’s will is more important than family relationships, saying
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Some may take
this passage as a criticism of Mary, His mother, but Jesus is pointing out that
it is not just her physical motherhood, but her obedience to God that bonds Him
so closely to her. By virtue of her “Yes” to God, Mary is first in our family
of faith, bestowed on us all as a spiritual mother.
If you ever feel
alone in your faith, abandoned by those who should know you best, if you hear
relatives gossip about you, rolling their eyes and murmuring that you may have
taken the whole religion thing a bit too far, remember to turn to your
spiritual mother Mary, to Jesus your brother, to God your Father, and to all
your countless brothers and sisters in faith, to find strength for the journey
and a family that will never fail you.
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