Friday 09 February 2024

Psalm 77

Background

This week we have been reading in Luke's Gospel about Jesus' ministry. Today we read that his family are trying to get hold of him. Luke presents a more positive picture of his family than Mark, who suggests there was conflict as they tried to rein him in. (Mark 3:21, 31-35)

Maybe Luke is more positive about Jesus' family because is aware of what happened later – he knew how Jesus’ family became very involved in carrying on his work after his death, resurrection and ascension. The incident gives us insight into how startling it was for Jesus’ family, at the beginning of his public ministry, to see the changes in him. They needed to process it and come to terms with what he was doing.

But in fact, this seems to have happened. In Acts, Luke tells us that after Jesus’s ascension (when he went back to heaven), his mother Mary and his brothers were with the disciples in the upper room devoting themselves to prayer as they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:14)  In addition, James, one of Jesus’ brothers, went on to be the first leader of the Jerusalem church. Traditions vary as to whether ‘the brothers’ of Jesus were blood brothers, or stepbrothers, from Joseph’s previous marriage, or perhaps cousins.

Hearing Jesus saying that he included in his family, anyone who hears the word of God and acts on it  (v. 21) would have been startling in a society where family bonds were very strong. Jesus is saying that hearing and responding to God’s word potentially has a greater call on love and loyalty than immediate family. We may be called to share our resources, love and time beyond our circle of family and friends. We know that some of Jesus’ disciples (both men and women) did in fact leave their homes and occupations, at least to some degree, to follow Jesus. And they shared resources to support his ministry. At the end of this episode, even though Mary and James will have a role to play in the future, Jesus does not leave the crowds and stop teaching to go with them. They must let him go and let him be.

To Ponder:

• Has your commitment to Jesus ever caused difficulty or resistance in your family?
• Does this story suggest there are limits to how much time and energy we should channel exclusively to our families? If so, how far are you comfortable with this? Is it freeing or not, and why? 
• God often uses families to help form our characters to teach us how to give and receive love. How can you tell when you need to say no to your family, to say yes to God, and when saying yes to God means focusing more on your family? 

Prayer

God, who is father and mother of us all, help us to widen our hearts and minds to see and love our sisters and brothers in you, everywhere we go. Amen.