Loving the Crowd

Gospel: Mark 3: 20-21

We have seen Jesus' aversion to crowds and the fickle nature of the crowds.  They are in many ways like ourselves.  So it is fitting that we also see instances where Jesus gives himself entirely to the care of the crowd in a mad attempt to save as many people in the crowd as possible.  Today we see him attempt to cure as many as possible to the point of he and his disciples eating nothing, and Jesus' family having to pull him away because they thought he had lost his mind.

In other places we find Jesus feeding large crowds of people in isolated places, his concern for them being so great.  Jesus' final act, however, was for the crowd that would put him to death, a crowd for whom Jesus would die.  And though their execution of him was a great sin, Jesus intercedes on their behalf: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

If Jesus has this much love and zeal for others, how much more should we! There are times we must rest; there are times we should not trust the crowd.  There is never a time when we not care about the crowd; never a time when we do not do whatever we can for the care of others.  If Jesus did all these things for the crowd noted above, dare we hope then that all might be saved, all find their way into God's mansion?