READ SCRIPTURE (Mark 3:20-35)
[Jesus went home;] and the crowd came together again, so that [Jesus and the disciples] 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.” And Jesus called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a dominion is divided against itself, that dominion cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, Satan cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
REFLECT ON THE READING
We all are the woman and the man in the old legend about the beginning of sin: we are afraid; we blame each other; we blame the serpent; we blame even God. Evil is very real and we find ourselves trapped in its strong house. But Jesus Christ, in the power of the Spirit, can pull us out of that house. Though he is mocked by others, even by his own family, and though he is finally killed, by his cross he plunders the house of evil. The grace of God in his death and resurrection makes of us a new and eternal house, a place of thanksgiving. When we hear the scriptures today, we are with Jesus in his house. He calls us his new family. We will see that house when, at last, we are able to gather with others around word and sacrament. Formed by his word and formed by that gathering with him, we turn to do the will of God in loving our neighbors.
PRAY TOGETHER
All-powerful God, in Jesus Christ you turned death into life and defeat into victory. Increase our faith and trust in him, that we may triumph over all evil in the strength of the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
For additional readings and prayers visit ELCA’s Worship in the Home Blog