Ug.

Most days I try to read the readings (or listen if I'm lucky enough to be there) and find something that speaks to my heart. Today, I'm just confused...

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” MK 3:20-21

It's a little chilling since most of my family happens to be elsewhere today trying to have a chat with one family member who currently seems to be lacking all rational sense. One could even say this person is "out of his/her mind". 

So, where do you go with that? I would love to have a spiritual director with whom to hash this out. Lacking that, I will go to Fr. Humberto who usually has good insight.

3. Out of His Mind?  Some of Jesus’ relatives, whose outlook was all too human, believed that Christ’s commitment to others was excessive. “The only explanation, they thought, was that he was out of his mind. On reading these words of the Gospel, we cannot help being moved, realizing what Jesus did for love of us: people even thought him mad. Many saints, following Christ’s example, have been taken for madmen — but they were mad with love, mad with love for Jesus Christ” (The Navarre Bible: St. Mark, p. 87). Do I long to love Christ in my heart and in my life, even to the point of madness? Is my one great ideal in life to be a saint — not for my own sake, but in order to be able to transmit Christ’s love to those around me, to help bring about his Kingdom in souls?

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith. It is a gift more precious than life itself. Help me to see others with the eyes of faith, to pour myself out in loving and serving them, just like you did. Help me to love you with madness as I serve each of my brothers and sisters.

Resolution: At the end of the day, I will pay special attention to fulfilling the needs and desires of my family members.

So, I will pray because, when I am completely confused, especially in this situation, I just have to turn it to God. He's the one who knows how it will all shake out and, at the moment, I'm at a loss for more energy to devote to this situation.

I pray for my family members, especially the one with the lost mind, that they will all work with the love of Christ and try to resolve the issue. Failing that, we will all wait in prayer for the day if/when it comes, that we are called to welcome this lost sheep back into the fold.

I think my confusion is thinking that everyone's "crazy" behavior has to be accepted. Society is so quick to point that out, yes? Still, I'm certain that some behavior would not be worthy of or pleasing to Jesus and that is the yardstick I will continually try to use from now on. If I can't tell if the person is Jesus-crazy or society-crazy, I'm just handing it over to Him. He has a certain knack for making all things good.

Even in unaware madness, we are blessed.