MEDITATION ON MK3:31-35

Mark3:31-35

Jesus never lost an opportunity to teach his disciples a spiritual lesson and truth about the kingdom of God. On this occasion when many gathered to hear Him he pointed to another higher reality of relationships, namely our relationship with God and with those who belong to God.
We all know that God’s Law demands the honor of one’s parents. Parents are to be revered and cherished while children are to be loved and respected. To forsake one’s family is not only considered a deep insult to the family, it threatens the social and religious fabric in every society.

I find it surprising that Mary had come with her sons to take charge of Jesus after all that was said about him at his birth. Before she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit, the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she would have a child and that she should give him the name Jesus. He would be great and would be called the Son of the Most High.

After his birth Magi arrived from the east, bowing down and worshipping him and bringing gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. When they took him to the temple to present him before the Lord, Simeon told Mary that her child was destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel And Anna, a prophetess, came up to them, gave thanks to God and spoke about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:36–38). John's Gospel tells us that his mother was present when Jesus performed his first miracle at Cana in Galilee and she appears to have had faith in him at that stage in his ministry

Waiting outside the crowd, the family sent someone in to get him. But Jesus not only refused them, he said: “Here are my mother and my brothers!” Despite the provocative reply, his response was appropriate. He was the Godman.  He was the long foretold Messiah doing the work of his Father and his Father’s will took precedence over everything.

What Jesus was saying to his family and followers was that it was not flesh and blood that made up his family, but those who did the will of God. Those who would love him more than their own families would become a part of his.  The boundaries of “family” are expanded beyond blood relatives, spouses, and even disciples to include those who hunger for a relationship with God and are willing to do God’s will.

The Kingdom of God is not filled with blood born relatives but blood bought relatives.  The Kingdom is the realm of the Spirit. It is a realm filled with people born of and by the Spirit. I think, in this passage, Jesus is not reproaching His Mother, as some would suggest. Rather, He is telling us that blood relations are not what is important. What is important is to hear the Word of God and obey. And this is exactly what Mary did and does to this day. It is precisely because she listened to the Word of God and obeyed that she was able to freely give her assent, her fiat to God and conceive of Christ in her womb. The Father of the Church said that Mary conceived Jesus in her heart before ever conceiving Him in her womb.

This is clearly found in Luke 1:38 where Mary says "behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy WORD". So when Jesus says in Mark 3:31-35 "My family members are those who do the will of God", he is not putting down his relatives. In fact, it is Jesus himself honoring them especially his mother Mary.... because indeed, she was the first to do the will of God.

What is the will of God?

Romans 12:1 begins with a simple but profound statement and gives us  three specific statements which will accomplish "proving, that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

1. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice (service).
2. By not conformed to this world (holiness).
3. Transformed by the renewing of your mind (pondering the Word of God).