Here are My Mother and My Brothers

Here are my Mother and my Brothers

Mk 3: 20 – 35

Today is the 10^th Sunday in ordinary time. In today’s gospel, the evangelist Mark takes us to a time during Jesus’ public ministry. At the beginning of this gospel episode, Mark tells us that as Jesus came home with his disciples, the crowd that had gathered at his home was so large that it was impossible for him and his disciples to eat. Jesus must have continued to minister to the people as he arrived and did not feel the need to pause and take a break.  This of course alarmed his relatives who set out to seize him since they were worried about his state of mind, saying: “ He’s out of his mind.”

Then Mark tells us that a group of scribes who came all the way from Jerusalem were also present. Apparently, they were there to observe Jesus. They must have heard a lot of great things about Jesus. And now, with their very own eyes, they witnessed the crowd, the healings and the miracles that Jesus did. But most important of all, they witnessed the drama that unfolded as Jesus ordered evil spirits to come out of people who were possessed by the evil one.

Not withstanding the amazing things they have witnessed, the scribes  apparently remained unimpressed at all at Jesus. They somehow sensed in Jesus’ miracles, especially in the casting out of demons, a diabolical pact between Jesus and the devil. No wonder they accused Jesus of being evil himself, saying : “ He is possessed by Beelzebul”;  “he drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul.”  Beelzebul was known to be the ancient “lord of the flies” in 2 Kings 1:2 but was also commonly known as the prince of demons. 

Jesus doesn’t take these accusations sitting down as he knows them to be false.  As he speaks to the crowd, he seems to refute what the scribes by now, have been telling the crowd. He couldn’t possibly be doing all the good things that he does in the name of the devil. Otherwise, it would seem that the devil himself is out there to tear apart what his evil minions have been commanded to do. To this, Jesus says: “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.”

Finally, Mark tells us that Jesus’ mother and his brothers arrive at the scene. Jesus is told about this. Then Jesus, instead of stopping to see his mother and brothers, speaks instead to the crowd and says: “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 does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Imagine the tired and weary Jesus who doesn’t get to eat or take a rest because he had to minister to people. Imagine him who is able to heal and cure so many people of their diseases and various illnesses. Imagine Jesus who is able to take out the heavy burden of people possessed by evil spirits.

Yet despite of all the good that Jesus has done and all the deprivations he has gone through, all that he gets are all negative statements: “He’s out of his mind; he is possessed by Beelzebul; he drives out demons by the prince of demons.” Despite of all the good that Jesus has done, all that was said by people about him were not only negative but false and malicious. Definitely, these malicious attacks were aimed at eroding his credibility .

Jesus did not respond to these negative and malicious attacks negatively. He did not return evil for evil. Instead, he makes a beautiful inclusive statement that embraces all those who want to follow and listen to him by saying: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

The good that we do at times can be interpreted as evil and insane. Nonetheless, we need to continue doing what is good.  Like Jesus himself who didn’t stop doing good and never felt discouraged despite of the rejection and the accusations hurled against him, we must tirelessly seek and do what is good. Like Jesus, we must believe that the good we do in the Lord's name can drive out even the most vicious evil spirit in the world.

  Even as Jesus faced conflicts and lies during his ministry, he never sought to divide people. Instead, he sought to include anyone who would heed his call to listen and obey God’s will. This is really goodness. It exhorts, invites and unifies men and women of goodwill. It doesn’t aim to divide and return evil for evil. Amen.

“ Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called – that you might inherit a blessing.”  - 1 Peter 3: 9