Daily Gospel Reflection for June 9, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Mark 3:20-35

Jesus is misunderstood by His own community saying, "He is beside himself," which pretty much translates to, "He is out of his mind." We encounter Jesus unable to even find time to eat with so many people pressing upon Him. Hmm, that sounds like motherhood!

Jesus' family is ready to seize Him, set to save Him from Himself—seeing His behavior as dishonoring. They fear Jesus is possessed by demons, the misguided belief at the time that all ills stemmed from the demonic. Although their behavior seems odd, it seems to be with the best intentions to protect Jesus.

We'll see this same word, seize, used again in the garden on Good Friday—when once again, Jesus will encounter a community confused by His work and words. The Scribes, fierce opponents of the Good News, will also accuse Him of being possessed.

Jesus refutes their murmurings with parables, beginning with the words, "How can Satan drive out Satan?" And warning of the only unforgivable action,

"But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin."

The sin that hardened one's heart so completely, so defiantly that the Spirit cannot penetrate it. The refusal to repent and accept God's mercy. The closing of oneself completely against salvation—the very gift Jesus died upon the cross to bestow upon each of us (CCC 1864). Sadly, many people refuse to see God at work in their lives.

Jesus concludes by defining His brothers and sisters as those who do the will of God. This proclamation did not narrow down who belonged to His family but quite to the contrary. Instead, Jesus expanded it to include all the faithful—teaching solidified from the cross as He gives John, standing in for all of us, Mary as our beloved mother.

Ponder:

Could Jesus look at you and proclaim, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." If not, what can you do today to work towards becoming His beloved family member?

Pray:

Jesus, teach me how to do the will of the Father, so I may stand counted among Your sisters and brothers. Lead me away from any temptation to grieve the Holy Spirit in my words or actions.

Daily Gospel 4