Mark 3:31-35

2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19

Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10

Mark 3:31-35

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."

Opening Prayer: Lord, the Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of your dwelling among the Israelites. It was a symbol of your throne of mercy. Mary is also a powerful sign of your mercy. You preserved her from sin, filled her with your grace, and now she intercedes for her children as our queen-mother.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Old Ark of the Covenant: One of the first things that David did after he captured the city of Jerusalem and made it his capital was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city. David acted as a royal priest and presided over a kingdom ordered to the liturgical worship and praise of God. The first attempt to bring the Ark from Baala to Jerusalem did not go well (2 Samuel 6:1-10). The people tried to transport it on a cart which was not in accord with the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 10:8). The law stipulated that the Ark was only supposed to be carried by poles and handled by the Levites and not hauled on a cart. The Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months. The First Reading recounts the second attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem. This attempt was successful and refers to the bearers of the Ark of the Lord and not a cart. The people are now obediently following God’s Laws. As the Ark was brought to Jerusalem, David fully assumed the role of a priest-king. He was dressed like a priest in a linen ephod, sacrificed animals, and danced before the Ark of the Lord. 

2. How to Become a Member of God’s Family: In the Gospel, we hear of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Jesus’ relatives sending word to Jesus in the house at Capernaum that they were outside and wanted to see him. This gave Jesus the opportunity to teach those immediately around him about the new family of God he was creating. Becoming a member of God’s family is not tied to our bloodline or physical ancestry. Doing the will of God is how we become members of God’s family. Mary perfectly accomplishes God’s will. 

3. The New Ark of the Covenant: When Mary says to the angel Gabriel, “Be it done unto me according to your word,” she becomes the New Ark of the Covenant. Her journey to her cousin Elizabeth has many parallels with the journey of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Like the Ark, Mary stays in the hill country of Judah for three months. Just as David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist danced before Mary in the womb of Elizabeth. While the old Ark contained manna, the tablets of the Law of Moses, and the rod of the high priest Aaron, Mary, as the New Ark, contains in her womb the Bread of Life, the very Word of God, and our eternal high priest.

Conversing with Christ: You, O Lord, are the king of glory. You are strong and mighty. Enter the gates of my heart and dwell there. Make it a heart worthy of your love.

Resolution: Contemplating the life of our mother Mary is very beneficial to us. She gives us a model to follow. One of our main responsibilities as children of God is to listen to and heed the will of God. God’s will is not opposed to our ultimate happiness. Rather, it is the way that leads to eternal life! What is God’s will for me today? How can I fulfill it?