Mark 3:31-35
With marriage equality a hot topic, one of the last fontiers of civil rights, the subject of family comes not far behind. What is a family? I don't think I need to do much convincing to say that families come in a variety not unlike the colors of a rainbow.
I am "the product of a broken home" according to some in the Catholic faith. That is, not a child, not a beautiful soul of God but that horrid moniker. In any event, my family life was not that of Ward and June Cleaver. And yet I most certainly was part of a family. My family was a mother and 4 sons for the most part. You certainly could extend that to Dad and his new wife, and 'steps'. You could also include the spinster ladies next door who played as vital a role in my upbringing as anyone else. The picture is not typical for it's day but would seem almost picket fence now. This was an early lesson to me about what a family is, not necessarily blood relatives.
That last point was driven home when I came out. There are people you share your lives with that have absolutely no blood relation to you that become more a member of your family than anyone else. Family that I hoped would stand by my side, even if not enthusiastically, dropped me like a hot potato. I made new friends and even consider that some wonderful people are a new family to me. I still have my traditional family, siblings, children, in-laws. All of this is wonderful, a blessing. But you have to know my definition of family is greatly expanded.
There are countless people out there who may come across this blog and thier definition of family may be different still. In my blog the other day I referenced houses versus homes. I said that a home was "A safe and loving place, where people live shared lives of caring and commitment to each other." That is a pretty good definition of family too. It encompasses so much from Ward and June, to single parents, gay couples with kids, it even moves on to include all of us here on this beautiful blue globe we call home.
In all this talk of family, let's go back to todays' passage from Mark. With my penchant for scriptural interpretation and exegesis, this is a perfect example. Personally, I do not see any problem with the fact that Jesus may have had biological brothers and sisters. Yet, this passage has been interpreted otherwise. The mere idea that Mary may have had other children seems blasphemous to them. It is almost an article of faith that Jesus was the only child of Mary. Perhaps this was a literary tool of Mark to get Jesus' message across of who our family truly is. That kind of answer becomes blasphemous to other Christians who take a literalist stand on the scriptures. We know that is pretty much hogwash. Still the question of family is still out there.
Anyone that would have you believe that the definition of family is set in stone and is defined by the likes of Ward and June Cleaver or even The Brady Bunch is sadly mistaken and woefully in denial.
Right now my family is increasing, looking forward with great anticipation to becoming a grandfather. Still, my day-in and day-out family is one man, the perfect husband and one perfect cat who has captured my heart as well. I suggest you might want to think about who your family is. Take stock, give thanks and praise to God for the loving hands and hearts in your life.
With marriage equality a hot topic, one of the last fontiers of civil rights, the subject of family comes not far behind. What is a family? I don't think I need to do much convincing to say that families come in a variety not unlike the colors of a rainbow.
I am "the product of a broken home" according to some in the Catholic faith. That is, not a child, not a beautiful soul of God but that horrid moniker. In any event, my family life was not that of Ward and June Cleaver. And yet I most certainly was part of a family. My family was a mother and 4 sons for the most part. You certainly could extend that to Dad and his new wife, and 'steps'. You could also include the spinster ladies next door who played as vital a role in my upbringing as anyone else. The picture is not typical for it's day but would seem almost picket fence now. This was an early lesson to me about what a family is, not necessarily blood relatives.
That last point was driven home when I came out. There are people you share your lives with that have absolutely no blood relation to you that become more a member of your family than anyone else. Family that I hoped would stand by my side, even if not enthusiastically, dropped me like a hot potato. I made new friends and even consider that some wonderful people are a new family to me. I still have my traditional family, siblings, children, in-laws. All of this is wonderful, a blessing. But you have to know my definition of family is greatly expanded.
There are countless people out there who may come across this blog and thier definition of family may be different still. In my blog the other day I referenced houses versus homes. I said that a home was "A safe and loving place, where people live shared lives of caring and commitment to each other." That is a pretty good definition of family too. It encompasses so much from Ward and June, to single parents, gay couples with kids, it even moves on to include all of us here on this beautiful blue globe we call home.
In all this talk of family, let's go back to todays' passage from Mark. With my penchant for scriptural interpretation and exegesis, this is a perfect example. Personally, I do not see any problem with the fact that Jesus may have had biological brothers and sisters. Yet, this passage has been interpreted otherwise. The mere idea that Mary may have had other children seems blasphemous to them. It is almost an article of faith that Jesus was the only child of Mary. Perhaps this was a literary tool of Mark to get Jesus' message across of who our family truly is. That kind of answer becomes blasphemous to other Christians who take a literalist stand on the scriptures. We know that is pretty much hogwash. Still the question of family is still out there.
Anyone that would have you believe that the definition of family is set in stone and is defined by the likes of Ward and June Cleaver or even The Brady Bunch is sadly mistaken and woefully in denial.
Right now my family is increasing, looking forward with great anticipation to becoming a grandfather. Still, my day-in and day-out family is one man, the perfect husband and one perfect cat who has captured my heart as well. I suggest you might want to think about who your family is. Take stock, give thanks and praise to God for the loving hands and hearts in your life.
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’
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