Gen 3:9-15; Ps 129(130); 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mk 3:20-35
How well the writer of Genesis describes the human condition: we are so curious we do that which is forbidden, just to see what it is like. When things go wrong, we blame others. And many lives are hard: getting food and bringing children into the world requires the sweat of our brow. But in the process “man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil”. Not a mistake – God knew what he was doing right from the first!
The Psalm begs pardon for our sins: as we trust in the Lord’s mercy we can also confidently hope in our redemption.
And Paul encourages the Corinthians to look forward to the eternal glory to come in an everlasting home built by God.
We would have a very poor impression of Mary if we had only Mark’s gospel, with no nativity and only Jesus’ words in today’s reading dismissing his mother and brothers as of no account, compared to those who do the will of God. Fortunately the other gospels written later give us a more developed picture: Mary indeed did do the will of God and is honoured as the first believer, the means by which God chose to send the Messiah to show us the way to salvation through suffering – his and ours.
Psalm Response: With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
(Gen 3:9-15; Ps 129(130); 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mk 3:20-35)