Recently I was able to attend a gathering in which many friends I have made over the years were attending. I have been to a few of these gatherings over the years and was not thinking much about how I would spend my time, except to generally be with friends. When one friend reached out to tell me she was looking forward to spending time together, I agreed, and we were anticipating some long conversations and time spent in each other’s company. When we got to the event, however, it became evident that both of our time was taken up by many group conversations and greetings of other longtime friends. In the end we had only spent brief moments together. Much of the time we had both been outside of each other’s company, waiting for a chance to meet.
It seems something of the same reality was happening to the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son. Just as my friend and I were kept apart, so Mary and Jesus. The Gospel passage today could make it seem that Jesus is disregarding his mother and even perhaps disrespectful towards her. It could also mean that Jesus is “hearing the word of God and acting on it,” just as Mary is.
Waiting
I was thinking of this in regard to the experience with my friend at the gathering. The fact that we could not spend time together the way we had originally intended did not change our relationship. We remained friends and connected later over the phone. The fact that Jesus did not get up immediately and go to his “mother and brothers” did not mean that he never talked to them again. Neither did his comment imply that Mary and the others were not “hearing the word of God and acting on it.” But they did have to wait to connect, just as my friend and I did.
Hearing and Acting
Something deeper is being said here in this passage though. What can we learn from Mary, who of all people, did “hear the Word of God and act on it?” This woman who silently contemplated things in her heart teaches us a great lesson in actually being with the Lord. She heard the message of Gabriel from God, she said, “Let it be done to me,” and then she acted: she let it be done in her life. How can you and I hear and act on God’s word in our lives today?
