June 10, 2018
Readings:
First Reading; Genesis 3: 9-15
Psalm: 130
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4: 13-5: 1
Gospel reading according to Mark (3:
20-35)
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Homily:
From time to time, especially if Jesus
missed his mother and his home, “Jesus
came home with his disciples” (Mk. 3: 20), to have some rest, too. But this time he came home with his newly
found friends who became his disciples.
They were becoming popular in Galilee, Capernaum, and in other neighboring
towns and cities for the healing, miracles and the power of Jesus’ preaching,
many peoples were converted to him that’s why seldom he went home and visited
his mother, family and friends and his own hometown.
The news spread like a wild fire. The town’s people in Nazareth heard the
coming of Jesus and other people from surrounding villages of Galilee. They would like to see Jesus and his
disciples. Some of them were interested
to know what happened to Jesus since he left their town; some of them would
like to confirm what Jesus had done in Galilee, Capernaum, in Decapolis and
even in Jerusalem. Others came to catch
gossips/news from Jesus and his companions.
All of them have their own reasons why they went to Jesus’ house. They congregated (nagtumpukan) in Jesus’ home. “Again
the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat” (Mk. 3: 20). Some asked many questions to Jesus, while
others welcomed them. It was a busy day
for Jesus and his companions so that they were not able to eat the food
prepared by Mary, Jesus’ mother and her cousins, Mary Cleopas and other Mary,
even Mary Magdala who accompanied Jesus wherever he went, nor rest for a while.
Jesus has many relatives and cousins in
Nazareth. They too heard the coming of
Jesus and his disciples and they went to his house with different
intentions. Some of them would like to
stop this non-sense messiahship Jesus entered, because they were afraid of what
will happen to Jesus if he continues this craziness. Others they did not believe that Jesus was
the chosen one of God to liberate them from slavery of sin and from the hands
of their conquerors. Oher relatives of
Jesus were afraid of the authorities in the Temple in Jerusalem. “When
his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they say, ‘He is out
of his mind’.” (Mk. 3: 21). To
protect Jesus from scrupulous people, they said that Jesus is crazy, “out of his mind,” for doing messiahship
activities.
Even the scribes from Jerusalem went to
Jesus’ home not to listen to his preaching and to check whether the contents of
his talk is orthodox and in line with their teaching, but rather they accused
him of blasphemy using the words and power of Beelzebul, of Satan and its cohorts
demons and bad spirits. “The scribes who
had come from Jerusalem said, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘By the
prince of demons he drives out demons’.” (Mk. 3: 22). They came to make discussions, accusation and
exorcism against Jesus. They were saying
that Jesus was possessed by Satan’s cohort, Beelzebul and of Satan, prince of
the evils and demons, that Jesus was driving out demons using the power of
Satan and/or Beelzebul. They did not
recognize the Holy Spirit working with him.
They saw only of themselves as true followers of God and have all the
rights to expel demons and nobody else.
They cannot accepted Jesus was doing the works of God.
Jesus understood his relatives and the
scribes, for he can see and read the minds of these people. He wanted to clarify things they cannot
understand or foresee. He also wanted to
re-direct their crooked ways of thinking, perceiving, and talking. “Summoning
them, he began to speak to them in parables” (Mk. 3: 23). The easiest way to teach people with closed
mind and heart is through parable. He
told them a story in a form of questions.
“How come Satan drive out Satan?”
(Mk. 3: 23). Jesus wanted to open the
mind of these scribes and some of his cousins.
“If a kingdom is divided against
itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And
if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to
stand. And if Satan has risen against
himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him” (Mk. 3:
24-26). It is very logical and true that
a kingdom divided itself cannot stand by itself because it is already divided;
the same with family members of a house, if they are divided, one or two members
against another members, these siblings will destroy their family relationship. How can you fight against your blood brothers
or sisters or parents? Although it
happens that a family member fights against his or her siblings, even his or
her parents for any reasons, like land, property and money. How much more Satan, he cannot fight against
himself or his cohorts – the demons but rather he convinces his demons to be
loyal to him so that many souls will join in his company and to fight against God,
the Almighty. What was Jesus doing was the opposite, he
fought against Beelzebul, Satan and his demons by invoking and using the power
of the Holy Spirit, the strength of God and the power of God.
Jesus added, “But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder the house” (Mk. 3: 27). A strong man who always watches his house
cannot be robbed and plundered his property, only when he is overcome by the
thieves who are stronger than him. But
this could not happen for the Holy Spirit is stronger than Satan, Beelzebul,
and hundreds and thousands demons.
Jesus, as if saying to the scribes, “Amen, I say to you, all sins and all
blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them” (Mk. 3: 28). They can say anything against Jesus; even
call him name names, crazy or insane or whatever they would like to call him,
they can be forgiven by him because of his merciful and loving heart, but to
call the Holy Spirit demon or Beelzebul or Satan, is a biggest mistake, blasphemy,
they cannot be forgiven and retain mortal sin.
“But whoever blasphemies against
the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting
sin. For they had said, ‘He has an
unclean spirit’.” (Mk. 3: 29-30).
“His
mother and his brothers arrived.
Standing outside they sent word to him and called him” (Mk. 3:
31). These people are not his mother and
brothers for he is in their home, together with Mary his mother and his
disciples; and the brothers are not his blood brothers, maybe these are his
cousins and relatives for there is no equivalent term during those times as
cousins and relatives. Any one is called
brother or sister or mother even though they are relatives and/or cousins. They came also to intervene to what Jesus was
preaching to the people, and in particular to the scribes’ about the miracle he
had performed with the Holy Spirit. “A crowd seated around him told him, ‘Your
mother and your brothers and sisters are outside asking for you’. “But he said to them, ‘Who are my mother and
my brothers?’ And looking around at those
seated in the circle, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my
brother and sister and mother’.” (Mk. 3: 32-35). Mary, his mother, is the best example of
doing the will of God when she pronounced her fiat to the will of God, the
Father when motherhood to the Son of God is offered to her. This is a new revelation that Jesus told to
the crowd; a deeper meaning of being members of the family of God, that “for whoever
does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Anyone who does the will of God is his
brother, his sister, his mother, for God is his Father.
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