Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 318

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.”

Scholars regard Saint Mark's gospel as the first written "gospel." It was written somewhere around 65 CE. Until the appearance of this document, the word gospel referred only to the stories and preaching; or, more precisely, the "event" that was Jesus happening throughout the Roman empire.

The document begins with a simple statement of intent: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." and thus gave the word an additional definition, "a document containing the gospel."

At that early stage, it seems, the Church had paid little attention to Jesus' mother. She is referenced in only a few New Testament writings; and only those written after 65 CE. Saint Paul never mentions her, although he readily acknowledges that Jesus was "born of woman."

The gospels of Saint Luke and Saint John will give Mary far more recognition; they place her as a key figure in Salvation History. The miracle of salvation cannot move forward without her consent (Saint Luke), and she knows, understands, countenances and consents to the ministry of Jesus from Cana to Calvary (Saint John). In both gospels, she is a woman of wisdom, representing the Old and New Covenants and fully aware of her role.

Saint Mark, it seems, knew nothing of her. She appears incidentally amid the family of Jesus, which is described as hostile to his mission. They thought, "he is out of his mind."

However, Saint Mark's magnificent gospel had a much larger, far more important mission than to tell us about Jesus' family. Mark would have us understand that Jesus was utterly abandoned and apparently despised by everyone including the Roman occupiers, the Jewish authorities, the several Jewish parties (Sadducees, Herodians, Pharisees, etc.), his neighbors, and his family. Only in death is he recognized, by his Roman executioner, who is certainly the last person we would ever expect to honor him. If Jesus heard the Voice of Approval when he was baptized, and Affirmation when he was Transfigured, he is alone when he dies. Unlike the gospels of Luke and John, the Lord's mission will be accomplished with neither help nor sympathy from anyone. Even heaven maintains a stony silence as he despairs of redemption. We should understand his terrible abandonment as necessary for our salvation. It could happen in no other way.

The other gospels would present Jesus suffering in a softer light, although he truly died in every case. Saint Mark's portrayal of Jesus' agony allows the dying man neither comfort nor comforters. So we can understand Saint Mark's inclusion of "his mother" in the third chapter as not about her. The story serves his larger purpose.

Understanding, then, Jesus' terrible mission as a solitary messiah, we wonder where do we belong. The gospel explains: Jesus' true family are those who do the will of God; that is, those who will follow in his way of abandonment, who take up the cross and follow him. After reading the other gospels we have never doubted that Mary carried an extraordinary cross with extraordinary grace as she bore her son from Bethlehem to Egypt, and followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem.

In our time, when nothing happens unless its posted on Facebook or recorded on YouTube, when millions of people record their desperate existence with selfies in exotic places, we follow the One who disappeared into the shadow of death, whose cry was not heard.