Mk 3:31-35 God's Will

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
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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 sisters are outside asking for you."  But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and my brothers?..."

And David danced.   The Lord answered his own question.  "For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

When the ark of God arrived to the City of David, King David threw a party that only a King could throw.  There was dancing and singing and, most likely, drinking, all night long.   The people were overwhelmed with joy.  Even King David let himself go.  In fact, we read he put on a linen apron and came out dancing before the Lord with "abandon."  Wow!  Talk about letting yourself go wild. 

"King David Gone Wild", a likely headline from the Jerusalem Post the very next day. 

But why were the people so happy?  Why were they dancing themselves into a frenzy?  What exactly did the Ark of God contain?  Do you remember? 

The Ten Commandments.   The Ark of the Covenant contained the two tablets with the ten commandments written on them.  In other words, the ark contained the Word of God, the Law of God.

Thou shalt not steal.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Thou shalt not bear false witness. 

And the people were celebrating.   

Who is my brother and sister?  We know who they are:  all of humanity.  And just like so many of our siblings, some are closer to us than others.  Everyone is my brother and sister and mother.  But some are closer than others.  Those who do God's will are closer.  It's a no brainer.

The beauty of the Ten commandments is that they tie our hands together, and hopefully together in prayer.  There is nothing that succeeds more than prayer, for at a minimum, it forces people to lay down their weapons!

The Will of God binds us, it ties our hands together.  I can't do whatever I feel like doing.  I can't do whatever I want.  Thank God!  The will of God forces me to treat others like the Lord has treated me, which is much better than how I want to be treated.  God's commandments expelled our commandments:  "Do whatever you feel like doing?"  "No regrets.  Just love." 

Does anybody out there actually see love oozing all around us?  Of course not! 

The Will of God forces us to fight the good fight in a way we don't necessarily want to fight:  the way the Lord fought.  Turn the other cheek.  Lay down your life.  Forgive seven times seventy times.  Love your enemies.     

So why did the people cheer?  Because they felt secure.  King David could never be a Kim Jong-un.  He could try, but he would no longer be serving the Lord.  

Sure, nobody likes discipline.  Nobody likes to be told what they have to do.  So some rebel.  They look for ways to get around God's Will.  They search far and wide for euphemisms that will help them codify their own disturbed tendencies.  They find artists that will put a pretty and sympathetic face on it all.  But as hard as they try to sell their own brand of commandments to the general public, and not God's, the truth always (eventually) comes out:  Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

Who are my mother and my brothers?  Everyone.  But not everyone would agree.  For many, to be their sibling requires total submission to their will, not God's will.

God's Will is based on authentic love and we know love never fails.  It actually conquers all things (cf. 1Cor 13:8). 

Now that's worth a song and a dance.