Jesus addressing of Mary Magdalene’s and the other Mary’s siblings as brothers as sisters does not mean as biological siblings

January 26, 2016

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

Saints of the Day: Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops - Memorial, Blessed Jose Gabriel Brochero

Reading 1

2 Timothy 1;1-8

1Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,[1] 2to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father

and Christ Jesus our Lord.[2]

3I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,

as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.[3] 4I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy,[4] 5as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice

and that I am confident lives also in you.

6For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.[5] 7For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.

8So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.[6]

OR Titus 1:1-5

1Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth,[7] 2in the hope of eternal life

that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,[8] 3who indeed at the proper time revealed His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted

by the command of God our savior, 4to Titus, my true child in our common faith:

grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

5For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.[9]

Responsorial Psalm 

Psalms 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

R. (3) Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. 2aSing to the LORD; bless His name.

R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

2bAnnounce His salvation, day after day. 3Tell His glory among the nations; among all peoples, His wondrous deeds.

R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

7Give to the LORD, you families of nations, 8agive to the LORD glory and praise;

give to the LORD the glory due His name!

R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

10Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; He governs the peoples with equity.

R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Alleluia see Matthew 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

Mark 3:31-35

31The mother of Jesus and His brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called Him. 32A crowd seated around Him told Him,

“Your mother and Your brothers  and your sisters[10] are outside asking for You.”

33But He said to them in reply, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" 34And looking around at those seated in the circle He said,  35"Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."[11] 

---

Notes on readings:

[1] 2 Timothy 1:1 - The promise of life in Christ Jesus: that God grants through union with Christ in faith and love; compare with Colossians 3:4; 1 Timothy 4:8.

[2] 2 Timothy 1:1-2 - For the formula of address and greeting, see the footnote on Romans 1;1-7.

[3] 2 Timothy 1:3 - As my ancestors did: this emphasizes the continuity of Judaism and Christianity; for a similar view, see Romans 9:3-5; Philippians 3:4-6.

[4] 2 Timothy 1:4-5 - Purportedly written from prison in Rome (2 timothy 1;8, 17; 4:6-8) shortly before the writer's death, the letter recalls the earlier sorrowful parting from Timothy, commending him for his faith and expressing the longing to see him again.

[5] 2 Timothy 1:6 - The gift of God: the grace resulting from the conferral of an ecclesiastical office. The imposition of my hands: see the footnote on 1 Timothy 4;14.

[6] 2 Timothy 1:8 - Do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord: of preaching and suffering for the sake of the gospel, that is.

[7] Titus 1:1-4] On the epistolary form, see the footnote on Romans 1;1-7. The apostolate is the divinely appointed mission to lead others to the true faith and through it to eternal salvation (1-3).

[8] 2 Timothy 1:1-2 - For the formula of address and greeting, see the footnote on Romans 1:1-7.

[9] Titus 1:5-9 -This instruction on the selection and appointment of presbyters, substantially identical with that in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 on a bishop (see the footnote there), was aimed at strengthening the authority of Titus by apostolic mandate; compare with Titus 2;15. In Titus 1:5, 7 and Acts 20:17, 28, the terms episkopos and presbyteros ("bishop" and "presbyter") refer to the same persons. Deacons are not mentioned in Titus. See also the note on Philippians 1:1.

[10]  32b In Semitic usage, the terms "brother," "sister" are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; compare with Genesis 14:16; 29:15; Leviticus 10:4.

[11] Mark 3:20-35 - Within the narrative of the coming of Jesus' relatives (Mark 3;20-21) is inserted the account of the unbelieving scribes from Jerusalem who attributed Jesus' power over demons to Beelzebul (Mark 3:22-30); see the footnote on Mark 5:21-43. There were those even among the relatives of Jesus who disbelieved and regarded Jesus as out of His mind (Mark 3;21). Against this background, Jesus is informed of the arrival of His mother and brothers [and sisters] (Mark 3:32). He responds by showing that not family ties but doing God's will (35) is decisive in the kingdom; compare with the note on Matthew 12;46-50.