Sijo Chemmannur
Member
“Who is my mother, or my brethren?” Mark 3:33
We are all close to our family and dear ones, especially our mother. We become proud if any of our family members achieve something in their life and feels happy about it. Many cultures denote their country as mother and proud of their motherland. In India, the term ‘Bharat mata’ is used generally to represent ‘mother India’ with due respect.The importance of the ‘motherhood’ is so embedded in all our culture. In many of the tribal religions God’s are named after the ‘mother’ of that place who is the protector to keep them safe from the mishaps. The concept of motherhood has many times have exaggerated encroachment into the religious belief of Christianity also. Once there was a debate between a Hindu and a Christian friends. Hindu friend said our religions are similar. We have ‘Siva’ (God), Parvathi (Goddess) and their son ‘Ganesha’. It is similar to you, having Father (God), Son (Jesus Christ) and Mother (Mother Mary)’. The picture of symbolization in Christianity at times might lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the true nature and representation of God and His mightiness.
“Who is my mother, or my brethren?” Jesus Christ asks to His certain disciple who informed Him that His Mother and brothers are waiting outside to see Him. Jesus was in the middle of His larger plans of selecting the twelve disciples and performing miraculous healing. He was filled with the power given from God, the Father. Lots of people gathered around Him for healing and to hear Him speak about the Kingdom of God, for-told to them by the prophets. The sight of ‘Messiah’ must have mesmerized them. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all (Matthew 12:15). During that time, hearing that Jesus Christ was in the near synagogue, Jesus’s Mother and brothers came to see Him. They might be waiting to see Him and could not have reached near Him because of large crowd. Certain disciple saw them and informed Jesus that His mother and brothers are waiting outside. Then Jesus Christ stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said “Behold my mother and my brethren!” (You are my mother and brethren). “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:21).
Jesus Christ exhorts the possibility of everyone who follows Him and does the Word of God to be anointed as His Mother and brothers. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). This friendship surpasses the boundaries of all separations and allowed us to call the God as our Father. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). The friendship to Jesus Christ comes with loving Him and obeying His commands. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Then, the veneration and anointment comes as a gift from the God who loves His son Jesus Christ and live in the Word of God. It also makes us clear to the fact that righteousness before God comes not from deeds of human, but by ones faith in Jesus as the anointed one. ‘Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:22, 23). Now, all human are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). Thus, these understandings should make us humble before God, who elevated us to the level of holiness which we are not worth for. This stature gives us the confidence to go near the God and worship Him as true God.
Secondly, we should understand the inclusiveness of Jesus Christ to accept everyone as members of His Holy family. An idea of considering the world as our own family. All the people who are hearing the Word of God and do it are welcomes to the family of Jesus Christ. In the middle of boundaries drawn in this world of various countries, religions, rituals, traditions, gender, caste, creed ethnicity and language, Jesus Christ urges everyone to be the partakers of His family and become his Mother and brothers through loving each other. In the old vedic scriptures, there is a verse “Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu”. Let the entire world be happy. Jesus Christ is the true binding factor which envisages a world with everyone treated equally all over the world through the divine love. When the evil rises and hatred consumes us, the power of Jesus Christ will lead us through the darkness of this world. Jesus Christ taught us to be the salt and light of the world. Salt which renders taste of humanity and the light which defeat the darkness. To defeat the darkness of this world. Not by degrading to their level of this world, but by upholding the beacon of Love. It necessitates courage of hearts and trust in God. Let Jesus Christ in us lead us the way to work for Him for the establishment of His kingdom.
We are all close to our family and dear ones, especially our mother. We become proud if any of our family members achieve something in their life and feels happy about it. Many cultures denote their country as mother and proud of their motherland. In India, the term ‘Bharat mata’ is used generally to represent ‘mother India’ with due respect.The importance of the ‘motherhood’ is so embedded in all our culture. In many of the tribal religions God’s are named after the ‘mother’ of that place who is the protector to keep them safe from the mishaps. The concept of motherhood has many times have exaggerated encroachment into the religious belief of Christianity also. Once there was a debate between a Hindu and a Christian friends. Hindu friend said our religions are similar. We have ‘Siva’ (God), Parvathi (Goddess) and their son ‘Ganesha’. It is similar to you, having Father (God), Son (Jesus Christ) and Mother (Mother Mary)’. The picture of symbolization in Christianity at times might lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the true nature and representation of God and His mightiness.
“Who is my mother, or my brethren?” Jesus Christ asks to His certain disciple who informed Him that His Mother and brothers are waiting outside to see Him. Jesus was in the middle of His larger plans of selecting the twelve disciples and performing miraculous healing. He was filled with the power given from God, the Father. Lots of people gathered around Him for healing and to hear Him speak about the Kingdom of God, for-told to them by the prophets. The sight of ‘Messiah’ must have mesmerized them. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all (Matthew 12:15). During that time, hearing that Jesus Christ was in the near synagogue, Jesus’s Mother and brothers came to see Him. They might be waiting to see Him and could not have reached near Him because of large crowd. Certain disciple saw them and informed Jesus that His mother and brothers are waiting outside. Then Jesus Christ stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said “Behold my mother and my brethren!” (You are my mother and brethren). “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:21).
Jesus Christ exhorts the possibility of everyone who follows Him and does the Word of God to be anointed as His Mother and brothers. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). This friendship surpasses the boundaries of all separations and allowed us to call the God as our Father. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). The friendship to Jesus Christ comes with loving Him and obeying His commands. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Then, the veneration and anointment comes as a gift from the God who loves His son Jesus Christ and live in the Word of God. It also makes us clear to the fact that righteousness before God comes not from deeds of human, but by ones faith in Jesus as the anointed one. ‘Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:22, 23). Now, all human are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). Thus, these understandings should make us humble before God, who elevated us to the level of holiness which we are not worth for. This stature gives us the confidence to go near the God and worship Him as true God.
Secondly, we should understand the inclusiveness of Jesus Christ to accept everyone as members of His Holy family. An idea of considering the world as our own family. All the people who are hearing the Word of God and do it are welcomes to the family of Jesus Christ. In the middle of boundaries drawn in this world of various countries, religions, rituals, traditions, gender, caste, creed ethnicity and language, Jesus Christ urges everyone to be the partakers of His family and become his Mother and brothers through loving each other. In the old vedic scriptures, there is a verse “Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu”. Let the entire world be happy. Jesus Christ is the true binding factor which envisages a world with everyone treated equally all over the world through the divine love. When the evil rises and hatred consumes us, the power of Jesus Christ will lead us through the darkness of this world. Jesus Christ taught us to be the salt and light of the world. Salt which renders taste of humanity and the light which defeat the darkness. To defeat the darkness of this world. Not by degrading to their level of this world, but by upholding the beacon of Love. It necessitates courage of hearts and trust in God. Let Jesus Christ in us lead us the way to work for Him for the establishment of His kingdom.
