A crowd that has gathered is so large that Jesus and his disciples are not even able to eat their bread in peace and quiet. Jesus’ family comes to take him away because they think he is “beside himself”, speaking out of His head. This would be a good opportunity for Jesus to point out that family for him is not based on results from a search on Ancestry.com or an interview with Henry Louis Gates on Finding Your Roots.
The evangelist tells us that some people were quite alarmed by Jesus’ behavior. His family was certainly alarmed. Mark reports that when his family and friends heard about his preaching and behavior, they went out to seize him: for they said, “He is insane.”
In his youth, his family probably thought of Jesus as a normal boy. His cousins and friends would have accepted him as one of the neighborhood kids, just one of them.
I suspect he might have tried to keep their nonsense under control and lead them down the right path. So, they were not overly surprised when he began street preaching. But now he had gone overboard. He was so often in the public eye that things were getting a little out of control and they urged him to quit.
In the instance reported in this Gospel reading, several of the group had come ready to distract Jesus and get him away from the crowd. But their attempt at an intervention wasn’t working. They tried sending him a message that his family was waiting to talk to him. He left them standing on the outside. He seemed to “dummy up”. He threw the messengers a zinger with the question: “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Is his family frustrated with him? Or just plain worried about him? They hear that Jesus is drawing crowds again, and they go to rescue him because people are talking about “our boy”. Some of the people think he’s loony. His family is embarrassed and worried of what might become of him. But Jesus doesn’t seem to mind at all. After all, he knows how badly it could all turn out. He tells the crowd, and us, mine is an extended family where each and every one is welcome. I embrace anyone and everyone. These people may look like a group of misfits, but they’re family.
So, I wonder: who might be at our door for a look around and to speak to us? Do they want to be a part of our extended family, preserve our reputation and tell the world what a great place we have here and what a pleasant group of people we are?
Our oblates come immediately to mind. You probably realize this: there are more Benedictine Oblates in the U.S. than the combined number of professed Benedictine men and women living in communities. Worldwide there are currently 25,000 oblates compared to 21,000 Benedictine monks and sisters. Here at home, on our Oblate mailing list we have upwards to 40 Oblates. That’s almost 4 times the size of our vowed community members. Our oblates are faithful persons who are reaching out into the greater community, telling our story often better than we do. These are persons who are immersed in “the world,” living out the values and mission of our Benedictine community. It’s true that they come to us to get refueled, to learn more about the Benedictine charism, but it’s equally true, as Joan Chittister says, “Oblates are the hope in this century that the llfe and values of the Benedictine vision can be born … again and anew.” So, when we hear the summons, “Your family is outside asking for you,” how shall we respond, what shall we do?
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
Kindly remember our Sisters in your prayer this week … we will be on retreat beginning Sunday evening and close after mass on Friday with a sumptuous brunch and our halos shining. God’s blessing with each of you!
First Reading: Genesis 3:9-15 Second Reading: 2 Corinthisans 4:13-5:1
Gospel: Mark 3:20-35
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