Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 6th June 2021
Lectionary readings:1 Samuel 8 v4-20; Psalm 138; 2 Corinthians 4 v13-5v1; Mark 3 v20-35
The true source of the power to heal.
People in ancient times lived in fear of demons, who they thought were responsible for a whole range of what we would call mental illnesses.
Jesus healed people of physical and mental illnesses. Jesus wanted them to be free of anything that prevented them from enjoying life as the Creator intended. Witnesses understood these healing miracles to be a sign that God was with Jesus, acting in and through him.
In today’s gospel reading, Mark tells us that, ‘Some teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem and said “This man is under the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons! He is even forcing out demons with the help of Beelzebul”. (Mark 3 v22)
Presumably, these ‘teachers of the Law’ considered themselves to be superior in religious matters to a wandering rabbi such as Jesus. In their way of thinking, only God could cast out demons, (or possibly a prophet appointed by God and approved of by Jerusalem Temple leaders!). Therefore all other ‘healers’ (those, able to cast out demons) must, in their view, derive their power from another source. Their logic suggested that if Beelzebul is the ruler of demons, only he, or one of his agents, could order them in and out of human beings.
Jesus uses riddles to debate logic with the ‘teachers of the Law’ and suggests that they are guilty of not recognising God’s power, his Holy Spirit, at work. To argue that genuine healing is the action of Beelzebul is ‘to speak against the Holy Spirit, a sin that will be held against them for ever. Jesus said this because the people were saying that he had an evil spirit in him.’ (Mark 3 v29,30)
It seems that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his siblings had heard such rumours. Mark writes ‘When Jesus’ family heard what he was doing, they thought he was mad and went to get him under control’. (Mark 3 v21).
Jesus, it appears, is aware of their well-intentioned motives, but does not allow their concern for his welfare to deflect him from his teaching and healing ministry.
When ‘The crowd that was sitting around Jesus told him “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside and want to see you, Jesus uses the moment to make a ‘Kingdom of God’ teaching point and asks, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers and sisters?” Then he looked around and said “Here are my mother and my brothers and sisters. Anyone who obeys God is my brother or sister or mother”. (Mark 3 v32-35).
Jesus wants us to join him, to become members of God’s family, to be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and agents of God’s healing power, showing care and compassion, especially for those who are troubled of mind.
Jesus wanted his family, his listeners and the ‘teachers of the Law of Moses’ to recognise that God was the source of his healing power.
We too, must acknowledge that any ‘healing’ power we may have, is a gift from God, and is the work of his Holy Spirit in and through us.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.