Daily Readings Reflection for 1/25/11

Scripture: Lectionary 318. Jan.25. Hebrews 10:1-10. Psalm 40:2.4.7-8.10.11.
Mark 3:31-35

Some critics say that Mark is anti-marian in the two passages where Mary
the mother of Jesus is mentioned. We are listening to the first of those
passages in Mark 3:31-35; the second is found in Mark 6:1-6a. If we look at
the passages from a Christological view, perhaps, we could say the passage
contains a Christology of relationships. Relatives are mentioned,
"brothers, sisters, mother." The passage may have been tacked on to the
Gospel in the light of the beginning of chapter three where it is said that
those who were with him (his family) were saying, "He is out of his mind."

The context of the whole chapter has to be kept in mind in our reflecting
upon this passage and also that of its relationship to Mark 6:1-6a, the
implicit mention of Mary through Mark's title for Jesus as "son of Mary."
This is a title of relationship of a mother with her son. It could also
mean, if we interpret the passages as positive and negative about Mary, as
another way of saying Jesus is totally human as the "Son of Man" and Son of
David--two Christological titles used by Mark to show Jesus is human. The
reference is important for it is the earlies recorded mention of the name
of Mary since Mark wrote almost a generation before Luke who takes us into
the early life of Mary.

We already have seen that discipleship is a key theme for the Evangelist
Mark. And what also is being said in this passage is that even though we
may not be blood brothers and sisters of Jesus, nor his mother, we are
still his brothers and sisters and mother in the spiritual call of
discipleship. Mary as we know lived up to that call all her life and
merited to be called a woman of promise. She fulfilled all the criteria of
discipleship according to Luke. While thinking of her as a disciple of the
Lord we note that Mark tells us she is the mother of the Lord--a fact of
history. Her title as mother is fundamental to the incarnation and to what
Mark is saying when he calls Jesus the son of Mary. That title as we have
seen forms a constellation of other titles that speak of the humanity of
Christ, a theme emphasized by Mark.

We are therefore called like Mary to be her sons in the spiritual realm and
not to be jealous of our Jewish brothers and sisters who are related by
blood to the person of Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham. In our own
relationships we are to be immersed in Christ, therefore, to respect our
dignity as brothers and sister of Christ in that relationship with him and
with one another. While not being able to boast of a flesh and blood
relationship to the Jewishness of Jesus we are summoned to appreciate who
we are int he communion of saints. Let us be then brothers, sisters, and
even a mother to those who are Christ oriented people in our lives. Amen.