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Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved. http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translation
What an insight into Jesus’ family dynamics! Jesus and his disciples are constantly in demand—it’s even hard for them to enjoy a meal together. Amid all the miracles, healing, and forgiveness Jesus pours out to the community, his relatives get wind of the news. Rather than excitement, their response is one of cynical scorn: “He is out of his mind!” It’s easy to picture them rolling their eyes at each other, dismissing Jesus and his ministry with a scoff.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20. We know the truth about Jesus—we know the end of the story. But do I behave like Jesus’ relatives sometimes? When I hear an amazing story about a miracle, an answered prayer, or a life turned around, is my first response skeptical? Am I willing to believe that God wants to work through everyone’s life, not just the people I would expect?
—Maggie Melchior is a convert to the Catholic faith. She currently serves as Coordinator of New Evangelization and Faith Formation for a parish in the Diocese of Green Bay.
Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us. Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing—sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death—can take that love away.”
—Fr. Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)
Please share the Good Word with your friends!
