REFLECTIONS TODAY

The late Bible scholar Fr. John Meier entitled his books on the “historical Jesus” A Marginal Jew.
Jesus does not act and teach in the mold of a Jewish rabbi. He is a celibate, teaches with an authority equal to or greater than Moses’, and loves the company of people in the “margins” of Jewish society: the poor, the sick, tax collectors, and sinners. He does not even have time to eat, busy as he is in teaching and healing people. No wonder, his family sets out to seize him, either because people are saying that he is out of his mind or they themselves think it so. Worse, his detractors accuse him of being in league with Beelzebub, the prince of devils (Mt 12:24). His relatives want him to return to Nazareth and live a “normal” life.
Like the prophets of old, Jesus burns with zeal for the Word of God. No praise, criticism, detractions, even love for his family, will prevent him to go from village to village to preach the Kingdom of God. He must be about his “Father’s business” (Lk 2:49), whether as a boy of twelve in the Temple or as a “rabbi” teaching in synagogues, in houses, or in the open.
Gospel • Mark 3:20-21
Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.