TUESDAY, March 3

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.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”

— Mark 3:19b-22

These passages from the Gospel of Mark can be quite confusing. Jesus’ followers are so numerous that he and the disciples can’t even eat. His family members say that he has lost his mind. Then the teachers from Jerusalem accuse him of serving Beelzebub, the prince of demons.

This scenario brings to mind the chaotic lives of modern celebrities, who are hounded by so many people that they often hire bodyguards and live in seclusion.

Jesus’ family and friends claiming, “he has gone out of his mind,” doesn’t seem very supportive, but is there a possibility they were trying to protect him from the authorities? They knew that Jesus’ claim to be the Son of Man might get him arrested and executed. Is it possible they were trying to save him by claiming he knew not what he said?

Jesus doesn’t flee to safety, though. He instead uses the situation to teach the radical, revolutionary idea that all of humankind is one family—God’s family. To Jesus, there is no separation of family, tribe, race or nation.

I often wish that all the faiths could merge into one, and that we would all become one enormous, loving family. We would cease to oppress “them” to protect “us,” and instead all work together in kindness and love. In my spiritual practice of the fearless and searching moral inventory, I am aware that I constantly need to examine any biases I may have toward others. I work hard to educate myself on how to be an effective advocate and ally, rather than assuming I am completely unbiased.

Reflect: Do you ever look at another group of people as “them” and harbor feelings of fear or resentment toward them? How might you pray to respond with love and kindness?

This Lenten Meditation can be found at Episcopal Relief and Development