The Great Need

Gospel: Mark 3: 20-21

In today's Gospel portion we find the perennial "not in my backyard" mentality of humanity.  When Jesus goes about helping people who are sick, in need of liberation from demons, and those hungry, his family and associates are fine when this ministry occurs in other towns and locales.  But when that need winds up on your doorstep and inconveniences you, then we become indignant and regard Jesus as utterly insane for this undertaking of mercy and love.  

In our own day we find this same phenomenon time and again.  We are fine with sending people out on mission trips to other countries or even other parts of our nation we regard as lesser than where we live.  We love taking part in canned food drives or sending cards to those in nursing homes.  But when the homeless are found in our streets and neighborhoods we get the police to clear out homeless camps and harass those seeking food and assistance.  We then regard as crazy those helping in our own communities.

Jesus called people to help him in this ministry of care in our own day, and many of them saw him as crazy too.  Today Jesus calls us to this same ministry of mercy and love to the sick, possessed, and hungry in our world, even if - especially if - it inconveniences us.  We would rather do anything than directly encounter the person in need because that person convicts us of our indifference and lack of care.  That is why Jesus calls us to care for others directly and not vicariously.