Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 450

He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Catholics are fascinated by the Blessed Virgin Mary; our ears perk up whenever she appears in the gospels. In this story, adapted from Saint Mark’s Gospel, she appears among his family, seeking an audience with him.

Saint Mark describes Jesus as a solitary prophet. He will be abandoned by everyone including government officials, religious authorities, his family and disciples. Even the Lord God will remain silent, distant and aloof as he dies on the cross. Saint Mark did not intend to dismiss or censure Jesus’ mother in his gospel. She may have been still alive when he wrote the gospel; she had not yet become an object of Christian devotion.

A raffle prize
at the picnic

Saint Luke paints a more sanguine image of Jesus’ world. Although he was condemned and crucified by authorities, many people remained faithful to him, including Simon of Cyrene, the women of Jerusalem and “the good thief.” After he died Joseph of Arimathea provided a tomb and the women prepared his body for burial. Even Jesus’ disciples fare better in Luke’s gospel. He does not say they fled from Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested; in fact they were ready to defend him with swords.

Mary and Jesus’ family appear in this story, as they do later in the Acts of the Apostles, as people who are faithful. They come to join him, not to seize him as Saint Mark indicated. They wish to “hear the word of God and act on it.” Although the Baptist is the most important person in the gospels after Jesus, Mary is the first disciple. She received the Good news from the Angel Gabriel and kept it faithfully.

Modern Christians should pay special attention to that second phrase, “act on it.” People today don’t care what we think about Jesus or religion. There are too many opinions and they’re all irrelevant. What matters is what we do. 

Friars Leo and Anthony find
bargains in the Bargain Basement

As soon as Mary heard the good news from the Angel that she would conceive and bear a child, she accepted it. Then she hurried off to Jerusalem when the Angel informed her of Elizabeth's pregnancy. She heard the word and acted upon it. 

Our labor and love, our politics and perspectives, our actions and attitudes must be shaped by the Word of God.