We Are the Brothers and Sisters

"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."-Mk 3:31-35

This passage used to make me crazy.  First of all, before becoming Catholic, I was taught that this was proof of the fact that Mary had other children after Jesus (along with passages that call James Jesus' brother).  Aside from that, it seemed almost mean to me.  I would read it and think, "Wow, he totally just blasted his mother and family."  And then, of course, as a Protestant, there was that problematic statement about doing the will of God.  You know, with the understanding of "once saved always saved" and "faith alone" I was good to go regardless of doing God's will.  

Now, I almost chuckle when I think of how much it used to bother me, because today, reading this passage, I rejoiced!  It seemed so fitting to me that this reading was  chosen along with the Old Testament reading of David dancing before the ark, and praising God with the people.  David's joy was in being a child of God and doing his will.  Shouldn't ours be the same?  

In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us a big clue into that, and into how to be sons and daughters of God.  First of all, Jesus wasn't being mean, he was using the introduction of his family to make a point.  As a teacher, we call those "teachable moments."  Jesus was the master teacher, so of course he used whatever came along to his advantage in his teaching.  Secondly, in the Jewish tradition, anyone who is related to you, and often even those who live within your community, are called your brothers and sisters.  This is something that many people still do today.  There is absolutely no proof that Mary ever had other children.  As a matter of fact, there is actually more that proof that she didn't!  And last, Jesus wanted us to be his brothers and sisters as well.  

When he teaches that "whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother," what he is saying is that he wants all of us to be adopted sons and daughters of God.  How do we do that? We obey God's will.  We accept the gift of grace and faith, and we allow God to work through us.  Faith alone? No.  I think not.  Jesus NEVER taught faith alone.  He taught that we are to "do" and to "obey" and most important to "love."  What good are teaching and commandments  if they aren't necessary.  Jesus didn't say "do this because it is the nice thing to do."  

So now, when I read this passage from Mark, I rejoice. Why? Because I now understand that what Jesus wants is me as his sister.  That he is leading me to do God's will so that I might share in the inheritance of the Kingdom along with him and the saints that have gone before us.  There is no greater joy.