A reading from the gospel according to Mark 3:20-21:

20 Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat.
21 When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Reflection: Crazy for service

Just how busy Jesus and His disciples were? They don’t even have time to eat or rest. Crowds always followed them even at night. There were just too many people who needed help or who were hungry for teaching. His relatives heard what was happening and they worried perhaps about His health. So they tried to seize Him. They thought His work or behavior was tantamount to madness.

On the other hand, we can say the people were inconsiderate. Why can’t they give time to Jesus and His disciples to eat and have a rest? Just like some insistent individuals today. They expect too much from their priests or pastors. They thought they owned the priest or the pastor to the point that at any given time, they could demand their attention. A little consideration is needed. Priests and pastors are not robots. They too can be exhausted and they also need time for their personal needs.

What is striking in this gospel reading is the devotion of Jesus to serve the people. He was too “crazy” about helping, healing and teaching them. Despite His busy schedule, he does not mind working overtime. Yet, we read in other accounts that He never neglected His prayer time. He often escaped in the morning to pray alone in the mountains (Luke 5:16, Mark 1:35). There is a great lesson to be learned here. We need to get strength through prayer to face another busy day.