Word to the Wise
Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - Tuesday in the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Sam 6:12b-15, 17-19 and Mark 3:31-35]TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018 TUESDAY IN THE THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19 and Mark 3:31-35] The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, "your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you." But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever doe the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." [Mark] Last Saturday we learned that Jesus' natural family was so concerned about him that they planned to seize him. Today we learn that they have arrived where he was and are ready to carry out their purpose. But Jesus takes the opportunity to point out that blood kinship (important as that was and is in the Middle East) was not the same as having faith in him. It is clear that his family rejected his ministry and message and were guilty of the same misunderstanding that the religious authorities showed, who accused him of being possessed by a demon. The hopeful thing in this difficult scene is in Jesus' statement that whoever does the will of God is kin to Jesus. Relationship to God is not a matter of DNA, but rather open acceptance of what we know to be God's will as revealed in scripture and tradition. St. Paul refers to us as adopted children of God by virtue of our baptism. An intentional effort to study and know the scriptures and tradition will help us to know what Jesus expects, as in feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, rock, but also why the cross and resurrection are part of this. This is how we become brother and sister and mother to Jesus. AMEN
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