Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14 / Mark 3:20-21
Jesus is our new high priest; By his blood we have been cleansed.
Years ago, divers located the wreckage of a 400-year-old Spanish ship buried off the coast of Northern Ireland. Among the treasures found in the wreckage was a man’s gold wedding ring.
When it was cleaned up, it revealed a very striking inscription. Etched into the wide band was a hand holding a heart and these words: “I have nothing more to give you.” The same image and words could have been etched into the stone that was rolled across the entrance to the tomb of Jesus. Jesus, indeed, had given us everything, including the blood of his own heart. He had nothing more to give us.****
What have we done for Jesus in the past? What are we doing for Jesus in the present? What ought we to do for Jesus in the future?
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13
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If you have children of your own, then let us speculate on this scenario. Let's say that one of your children tells you that he or she wants to go to some under-developed country to do missionary work and to help the people improve their lives and to share with them the love of Jesus. What will be our reaction? Whatever our reactions might be, they are certainly more than mixed. We might be asking questions like: Why can't you do something more normal like most people? What is there to gain from it? How does it help your future? What would people think?
Maybe that was why the relatives of Jesus were worried about Him and thought that He was not thinking right. He had already done certain things that they were not prepared for and didn't know how to handle.
He threw away the security of a job and a home to become an itinerary preacher. He hung up His safety when He took on the scribes and Pharisees. (You can't get away with that and in fact, He didn't.)
He didn't bother about what would people say regarding His company of friends. Following Jesus involves taking risks. We may have to throw away our superficial security, hang up our flimsy safety precautions and turn a deaf ear to the criticisms and discouragement around us.
But when others think that we are out of our minds, or maybe when we wonder if we ourselves are out of our minds, then Jesus will come and take charge of us.
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The Temple worship of the Old covenant could not save because it did not demand personal commitment of the one who sacrificed. But the sacrifice of Jesus was deep and total. He sacrificed himself. His blood brought us salvation.
The few verses of today’s Gospel: tell us no more than that the crowd was so eager to hear Jesus’ message that they left him and the disciples not even the time to eat.
Let us pray: Our saving God, you have shown your people mercy in your Son Jesus Christ. May we belong to him, that we may come to love him deeply and, in this way, know him as he is, and also know you as our Father. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
