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Gospel Reading for June 9, 2024 – Mark 3: 20-35
INCLUDING
Jesus came home with his disciples. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,for they said, “He is out of his mind.” The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself
and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder the house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him 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 does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
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There were so many crowds when Jesus was around, and most of the time they brought the sick to him for healing that’s why there were times when it was almost impossible for him to eat. His relatives did not understand this. His fervor in accomplishing the mission given by the Father was too much for them, they thought he was out of his mind. Perhaps, they were worried for him, just as sometimes, our family is, when we have so much fervor in the things we are doing.
On the other hand, the scribes could not accept that Jesus had so much power. It was only the power they saw and not the goodness it was bringing to others that’s why they accused him of being possessed by the prince of demons. What they failed to realize, or rather did not want to realize, was that Satan can never do good deeds because he is the prince of evil.
Jesus was born to be the Saviour of the world so he may bring all of us, BACK TO THE FATHER. Hence, he was not disregarding his family (as some people claim), but he was INCLUDING us in his family. Those of us who do God’s will are his relatives too. Let us remember how he gave Mary to us through John, at the foot of the cross (John 19: 26-27).
Lord Jesus, may we deserve to be called your relatives by living a life according to the will of your Father!
