Gospel, Mark 3:20-35
Jesus went home again, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relations heard of this, they set out to take charge of him; they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’ The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘Beelzebul is in him,’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he drives devils out.’ So he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never last. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot last either — it is the end of him. But no one can make his way into a strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he has first tied up the strong man. Only then can he plunder his house. In truth I tell you, all human sins will be forgiven, and all the blasphemies ever uttered; but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘There is an unclean spirit in him.’ Now his mother and his brothers arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Look, your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those sitting in a circle round him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.
Homily
Misrepresentation can have very serious repercussions for the person charged with misrepresenting. In fact very often people come to me asking that I sign passport forms or other forms which need a recommender. In these forms the recommender is asked to state the length of time that he/she has known the person being recommended. A certain obligatory time span is also requested. The recommender is also advised that any falsehood could lead to fines and imprisonment. Misrepresentation is therefore considered a serious offence. I have often had to tell persons, I do not know you for the length of time stipulated and therefore I cannot sign your form. Unfortunately at times persons whose forms I have declined to sign are annoyed and tell me that other people do it and I should if I really want to help. Jail however never enticed me and so I hold fast to my position.
I thought of those scenarios as I read this gospel passage in which Jesus tells his listeners; “In truth I tell you, all human sins will be forgiven, and all the blasphemies ever uttered; but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘There is an unclean spirit in him.”
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Jesus is in fact accusing the Scribes who had come down from Jerusalem of serious and conscious misrepresentation. These scribes would have been representatives or colleagues of the Pharisees. The Pharisees and Scribes had been losing the control over people which they held because of their learning. Jesus with his preaching of a God who is father of all and who loves all, even sinners, was the reason for their loss of power. Because of this the intention of the Pharisees and Scribes was to discredit Jesus and so they set about misrepresenting him. They tell anyone who would listen to them; “Beelzebul is in him,’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he drives devils out.” Jesus refutes their claims very easily. “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never last. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot last either — it is the end of him.”
Jesus then tells those listening to him that this misrepresentation, ascribing to Satan, the power of God and the love of God, is in fact a sin against the very love of God for it is out of love and through the power of God’s Spirit that afflicted persons are liberated from Satan.
Not one of us I am certain would consciously ascribe to Satan the power and love of God, but often enough we are guilty of misrepresentation also. Through baptism and confirmation we are meant to be other Christ’s in the world. We commit ourselves in these sacraments to live as Christ lived and so make his love alive and present in our lives and our land, among our relatives, friends and acquaintances. When you and I, other Christ’s in the world, live in an un-Christlike manner, we are also misrepresenting Christ and when we do this consciously for money, power or fame this misrepresentation becomes so much more serious than if done simply out of human weakness. What a responsibility then to live Christ-like lives! This is in fact what the saints do. In their lives there is no misrepresentation of Christ, on the contrary their lives make Christ’s love present to so many. The Mothers Teresa and Francises of this world teach us this. May your lives and my life do the same!
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God we thank you for your tremendous love made known to us in the lives of so many saints. Their lives never led us astray; on the contrary their lives led us closer to you. Help us to be aware of the danger of misrepresenting who you are by our words and actions. Give us the grace to so live that our lives may make known to others the power of your love. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and Jesus, your Son. Amen
