A Jesuit Catholic University
in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1878

[318] Heb 10:1-10 Ps 40:2+4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11 Mark 3:31-35

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

“ And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, 'here are my mother and brothers.  For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’”
 –Mk 3: 34-35

Today’s gospel reading is very short, but if we look at it closely, it contains two important points. 

The first question I ask when I read this passage is: “Why doesn’t Jesus respond to his mother and brothers?” His mother and brothers were calling for him, even the crowd tells him that his mother and brothers were waiting for him.  However, Jesus stays with the crowd, telling them that they are just as important as his mother and brothers. They are his brothers and sisters and mother, his family as well, because they do the “will of God.” 

If I were in the place of Jesus, I would leave the crowd to go to my mother and brothers.  It’s what most of us, I believe, would expect Jesus to do after reading the first two verses of today’s gospel.  But Jesus does the opposite of what we expect him to do. This is the first point. 

In staying with the crowd and leaving his mother and brother to wait, he is attending to God’s will before his own personal matters.  He is in the middle of preaching to the crowds and interacting with God’s people.  This is what God sent him to do.  He realizes that the crowds are his family too, and he prioritizes spending time with the crowds over leaving to see his mother and brothers.  This is the second point. 

So we see Jesus doing the will of God before attending to personal matters and we see him doing the opposite of what we expect him to do.  How does this relate to our lives?

When we choose to follow God’s word and do what he asks of us, we should act a lot like Jesus did in today’s gospel.  We should always do what God asks of us before we take care of our own needs and wants.  In short, God asks us to love one another as we would love ourselves.  Therefore, we must put others before ourselves. 

However, American society is extremely individualized.  Media and other sources lead us to believe that we must take care of ourselves first, that we are most important.  It’s always about me, me, me. When we follow God, however, we are told to put him and others first.  This goes against what society tells us.  Just like Jesus did the opposite of what we expected him to do, we must do the opposite of what society expects of us. 

None of us are ever going to perfectly complete what God asks of us, but if we try our best, we will be considered a part of Jesus’ family, his brother or his sister.