//MAMA’S BOY?
Thoughts + HomilyJanuary 28, 2020

MAMA’S BOY?

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
-Mark 3: 31-35 – Tuesday, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
As an Italian-Mama’s boy this Gospel encounter seems impossible for me to conceive of.  If Ma Chern were to walk in here right now – well I wouldn’t stop Mass – but I would most definitely be distracted, might take some of the shorter forms of the prayers and want to get to her as quickly as possible to see what’s wrong, what’s the matter, etc.  When she calls on the phone, for the most part I will interrupt what I’m doing and almost always answer the call right away.  I don’t mean that to disrespect the people that I’m with at the moment.  It’s hard to deny that she rates tops and so she commands my attention.
Which is why this Gospel -with Mama Mary – the Blessed Virgin, the one who had laid down her life for Jesus… the one who said “this is my body given up for you” to Jesus so that He would be able to do the same say the same to us – it seems impossible that she would somehow rank less in Jesus’ heart and mind then my Mom does to me.  I mean, Jesus had to have been a Mama’s boy too, right?

Too often, we think on very human terms – which I guess is understandable, being that were humans.  But human terms are very limited.  We somehow imagine that Mary (and Jesus’other relatives identified as ‘brothers and sisters’ but which in reality were cousins since Mary was perpetually a virgin who are with her) are being dissed in this instance. She’s not.

The beautiful truth that is revealed is all about God’s love – and that He Has no favorites.  He sees, He notices, He loves each and every single one of us with the same, amazing, selfless, unconditional love – as He does His own Blessed Mother.  That means the person in this crowd who maybe is casually lurking around – just coming around to see who this Jesus is, what’s He all about, what’s He saying… that person is known, and treasured, is worthy, deserves and receives Jesus attention and love as much as His most Blessed Mother.

 As do you and I. 
What could be greater news?

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