Mark 3:31-35 NRSVue
31Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32A crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” 33And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
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Some thoughts on this scripture
Reflection
Another awkward meeting point of Jesus and his family. They stay outside, no
longer part of those around him. The blessing at the end would have made
sense to Mary who had heard it already from Elizabeth: ‘blessed is she who
believed that the word spoken to her would be fulfilled.’ The word of God
is deeper than any biological tie Jesus has; Mary knew that and was not
offended but affirmed by what Jesus said here. Our deepest belonging is to
God; all other belongings in life flow from that. We come from God and go to
God. Our prayer, no matter what its method and tone, with its dryness and
struggles, is time given to the prime connection in our life, the
relationship with God.
Reflection
Group solidarity has always been important to the Jews. In Jesus' time the
family unit included all one's relatives who not only regarded one another as
brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers but identified themselves so strongly
with one another that whatever was done to one member was seen as being done
to all. The shame of one affected all. So when Jesus' relatives hear people
saying that Jesus has ‘gone out of his mind' they leave their homes in
Nazareth and come to Capernaum to restrain him so that he does not bring
shame on the family.
Reflection
Jesus said that ‘whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and
mother.' Do I truly regard those of other Christian churches as my brothers
and sisters?
Reflection
Jesus does not put limits on belonging, instead his embrace is prepared to
take in all who do God's will. I ask God to help me to broaden my horizons,
not to let me be limited by a narrow scope of what is comfortable.
Reflection
Jesus invites me to call God my father and he recognises me as one of his
family. What more assurance do I need that Jesus walks with me?
Reflection
Jesus does not put limits on belonging, instead his embrace is prepared to take in all who do God’s will. I ask God to help me to broaden my horizons, not to let me be limited by a narrow scope of what is comfortable.