Mary Dearest

 




While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Pardon me, but I have never understood the animosity that some Christians harbor against Mary, the mother of Jesus. Even if they believe, incorrectly as it happens, that Catholics worship Mary, the venom with which they often speak of her boggles the mind. I mean, come on! This is a woman of grace chosen by God to become the mother of his son who would be savior of the world. How can anybody speak of her with anything other than the utmost respect. 

The people who are disrespectful of her often use this passage that we read today to “prove” that even Jesus had little respect for his mother. In it we find Jesus telling the people listening to him that his disciples were his mother and his brothers. The implication seems to be that Mary is not. But listen fully to what Jesus says. “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” I don’t know of any other person in the history of the world, Scriptural heroes included, who did the will of God as Mary did.

Right from the time she was little — remember she was barely a teenager when the angel Gabriel appeared to her addressing her as being full of grace — she moved in the will of God. When the angel told her that she was going to give birth to the Son of God, I am not sure how much she really understood, but she said nonetheless: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). And she continued to let it be done to her according to God’s word all her life. 

This, according to Jesus’ definition made her his mother, even if she were not REALLY his mother. But the fact is that she was, and I don’t think he would be very happy if we didn’t treat her right. Look at it this way. I know that most of you watching this have respect for me. If you were to meet my mother, wouldn’t you treat her with respect? If you didn’t, how would I feel? And I’m just a man, guys. This is Jesus we are talking about. And Mary is HIS mother. So, it might be a good idea to re-examine how we look at her again.

And, when we do, we might find Mary a wonderful role model in how to be obedient to the will of God. The entire point of Jesus’ comment was to tell us that obedience is what really determines our relationship with him. He will consider those who obey him his family. We often struggle with obedience. But if a young teenager could be obedient, and remain obedient despite all the struggles she went through, then perhaps we might be inspired to do so as well.

Watch a video of this reflection by Aneel Aranha here: https://youtu.be/LP0gPNzhWHM


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let’s Get Healed - A Reflection on Matthew 18:21-19:1

Image
  Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, an
Read more

Patience - A Reflection on Luke 2:33-35.

Image
  And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”   This is probably the shortest passage that we have reflected upon this year. In it, we find a man named Simeon making a prophecy about three things. One, about Jesus. Two, about the people of Israel. And three, about the pain that Jesus’ mother Mary would go through. We have seen all his prophecies came true. But who is Simeon? And what can we learn from him? Ok. On the 40th day of his birth, Jesus is taken by Mary and Joseph to the temple to be officially inducted into the Jewish faith. When they were there, a man named Simeon came in to see them.   He is described as “righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the H
Read more

Dying and Killing

  The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier,
Read more