Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – 2nd Week in Ordinary Time – Saturday – Mark 3:20-21

As Christ’s reputation grows through His preaching and many healing miracles, great crowds begin to follow Him, sometimes becoming dangerously enthusiastic (Mark 3:9). Christ begins to prepare for the worldwide Church by appointing the 12 apostles who can help in His ministry and who will be the foundation of Christ’s Catholic Church.

Christ leads the newly-appointed Apostles back to Simon-Peter’s house in the seaside city of Capernaum, Christ’s Galilean base of operations. The multitudes of sick and needy people realize that Christ has returned and they converge on Christ, overfilling Peter’s modest home. So great is the crush of humanity, including their cries for healing and need for food, that Christ and the disciples find it difficult to even share a meal.

Christ’s male relatives, probably from the extended families of both Joseph (Joseph is presumably no longer alive) and Mary, likely included uncles and older cousins (Christ, the only Son of the Virgin Mary, has no siblings). In the ancient Holy Lands, the bonds of kin were strong and relatives were obligated to protect their own and defend the honor of the family. Hearing of Christ’s growing following and the conflicts with Jewish leaders, His kin seek to “seize” (same word used for Christ’s arrest by the Jews) and return Him to the quiet work of a carpenter in Nazareth; His relatives believe that Christ is “out of His mind”, perhaps even thinking that Christ is demon-possessed.  Soon, the scribes will accuse Christ of being in league with Beelzebul (Satan).

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of God, Christ attracts multitudes of people, desperate to draw close to Him. Divine Mercy, Christ welcomes and does not avoid crowds, offering His words and healing. Son of Man, Christ maintains a grueling schedule, working long hours and missing meals.  Son of Mary and Joseph, Christ belongs to an family with extended kin who do not fully understand Him.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Throughout His public ministry, Christ willingly accepted grueling  physical demands which included walking long distances, working at all hours of the day, sleeping in the elements and going hungry.  Recalling the Creed, reflect on the  Christ’s two natures as the Son of God and Son of Man and be awed (CCC 456-483).

2) Christ’s earthly family, confused about Christ’s identity, inadvertently opposes His building of the family of God in the Catholic Church (CCC 1). Pray for Christ to help you draw together in fraternity with other Catholic men as true brothers in the family of Christ.

3) Like Christ’s misguided kin, men often oppose Christ’s will in the way they live their lives, doing what they should not do and failing to do what they should do. Review the Church’s teaching on Sin (CCC 1846-1876) and pray for Christ’s help to turn from sin.

Spiritual Practices – Include in Today’s Prayers

Sacred Mystery of Rosary – The Joyful Mysteries

Daily Devotion – The Blessed Virgin Mary

Virtue of the Day – Hope

Corporal Work of Mercy – To bury the dead

Spiritual Work of Mercy – To pray for the living and the dead