Living in the Spirit
June 7, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 2:20-35

 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’ –Mark 2:31-35

“He is like a brother to me.” “She is the same as a sister.” “She may not have borne me but she has been my mother.” Some take umbrage with Jesus over the scripture above. They think it might have hurt his family’s feelings, I guess. I think Mary would have understood exactly from where he was coming. She had known his purpose from the first. I have always wondered about his brother James. I think he was not so clear about this elder brother who was always away wandering around the country as an itinerate preacher leaving him at home to hold things together. We do not know when Joseph died. He was at the temple when Jesus was 12, but never mentioned again. Family is complicated.

Jesus is reminding his Disciples that they and his other followers are part of the family of God. While family is complicated the relationship is not severable. I have the copy of a will of one of my great great grandfathers who apparently had had a falling out with my great grandfather for the last paragraph of the will states ice-clearly “Daniel is to get nothing.” Daniel is even left out of the pages related to this family in the county history of prominent settlers. None of that made him any less my great great grandfather’s son.

As a social worker I encountered many dysfunctional families. As a Christian I have observed more discord than one would ever think possible among a people who identify with a God of love and his son who gave his very life out of love for each of us. God’s love is often the only cure for dysfunctional families. It is the only cure for discord among Christians. We need to reaffirm the wondrous love of God and work toward loving one another as we strive together to be his Body in the world today.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we do not love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Gift us with your Spirit to guide us as we stumble our way toward the realization of your Kingdom here on earth. Amen

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.