WORD 2day: Saturday, 2nd week in Ordinary time
January 23, 2021: Hebrew 9: 2-3, 11-14; Mark 3: 20-21
They thought Jesus had gone out of his mind - because of the hectic programme he had for himself. But for Jesus it was a clear choice: my food is to do the will of the one who sent me, he declaredn (Jn 4). He rejoiced with the little ones who recognised God, and cried with those who struggled to feel God close to them. He empathised with the poor and the sick and sought out the sinners and the outcast! Indeed, his choices were considered strange and he was judged to be out of his mind, even by his own relatives.
The first reading relates to us, why this choice on the part of Jesus - because he had a special calling and he was aware of it. He took that call so serious, that his choices were radical. He was bordering on the state of being called 'strange' and 'abnormal'. But all these, for the sake of the Reign of God, Seek ye first the Reign and every thing else shall be given unto you (Mt 6:36).
As people of God, as children of the Almighty Father and Mother, as brothers and sisters of Jesus, as disciples of Christ, as people of the Spirit, we are called too, to imitate Christ in his commitment to God's will. Are we ready to "get out of our minds"?
The world today is going out of its mind too...for the sake of money, pleasure, possession and power, persons are going crazy, and wierd. They dare do anything to hoard money, increase pleasure, hold on to possessions, and garner power over others! But when some one shows a similar commitnent in things pertaining to God and Spirituality, he or she is considered 'strange', 'abnormal', 'queer' and 'lunatic'!
The question today is: how passionate are we about the Reign and its values... how ready and daring are we about 'getting out of our minds'?