Jesus has gone mad.

Fr. Gabriel this morning read the Gospel of Mark 3:20-21. It is such an abrupt fininsh, "He is crazy." Some people and even the nuns, laughed out loud. These Cistercians don't give a homily on weekdays, but because some people laughed, he said a few words in way of explanation. Fr. Gabriel said that this is the same Chapter where Jesus says that his mother and other brethren are whoever does the will of God.

I can just picture the family scene. Everyone is arguing and probably it's about the stir that Jesus is causing with His preaching. I bet some in the family side with the pharisees and think that Jesus should be stopped because He is not the messiah. So they must think he's gone mad. Jesus leaves them to their arguing and speculation and goes to eat at a friend's house. But Jesus has attracted a crowd. Maybe some Pharisees came and got the family and told them that He was at it again. So the family rushes out to grab Jesus before He does something embarrassing or worse. That's why they say He is crazy.

Mary must have been with them, too, because later on, Jesus says "Who are my mother and my brethren?" I think Jesus lost His cool a bit. They didn't get Who He really was.

Families! Can't live with them and can't live without them (at least not fully.)