Reflection — Maturity

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012222.cfm
2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27
Mark 3:20-21

As we all know, not every Gospel written was accepted by the Church as suitable for inclusion in the Bible. Among the rejects was one titled ‘The Infancy Gospel of Thomas’ which purported to record the life of Jesus between the ages of five through twelve. Besides the fact that it was written in the mid to late second century, it’s stories included some incidents which were significantly out of character with the Jesus we know in the Canonical Gospels. These incidents included giving life to clay birds, extending the length of a board to help his father, Joseph, and dispatching at least two children who offended him.

Officially, the Christian community accepts as fact that we know little about the life of Jesus between the Gospel record of his birth and the time his public ministry began. There is, of course, the one short exception where Luke tells us of Jesus being separated from Mary and Joseph and being later found in the Temple. Nevertheless, there are certain things which, it would seem, we can safely presume. Throughout the years of his ministry he was known as a man; a bit peculiar, maybe, but essentially like other men. Some may have suspicioned, or even had a strong belief that he was the Messiah, but that had more to do with his destiny than with his nature or character. 

Mark’s Gospel takes the position: Here was this man whom we followed for almost three years, only in the end to discover that he was God. (In this area I believe the series, ‘The Chosen’ overdoes the recognition of divinity.) We can also presume that he was trained and grew up working as a carpenter, as that would have been the custom of the time. All in all it would seem safe to say that he was a Jewish boy who lived a life similar to other Jewish boys of his time. 

The brief two verses which comprise today’s Gospel reading should probably be read with the understanding that Jesus’ early life was similar to that of other boys in that time and place.

Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, 
for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 
(Mark 3:34-35)

We read of this incident and wonder. The other evangelists chose to either omit it from their texts or soften its details. In the post-Resurrection period they were probably wondering how these people could not have known what they knew now. Embracing that old adage, hindsight is 20/20, they probably didn’t want to embarrass the limitations of those who once thought Jesus to be “out of his mind.” But, according to Mark, that is exactly what they thought.

They had known him as a child. They watched him grow in “wisdom, age and grace before God and men.” They also watched him take his faltering first steps, get stung by a bee, and skin his knees while playing. They knew him as he learned to laugh and smile. They were amused when he told their cultural equivalent of ‘knock, knock’ jokes. He might well have demonstrated an unusual self-assurance and maturity; but it is doubtful that he performed miracles during those years. “Why is that,” you ask. Two reasons immediately come to mind; and both are offered by Jesus. 

The first is at the wedding at Cana where he is reluctant to perform a miracle since his time has not yet come. The second is when he cures the paralytic and tells the Pharisees: “That you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — he said to the man who was paralyzed — “I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home." (Luke 5:24) Clearly, his miracles were an adjunct to his ministry, not its primary focus. That ministry centered on announcing the coming of God’s Kingdom.

We habitually celebrate birthdays, so it is assumed that we would celebrate that of the Christ child. But his birth is different in that it is more than the usual addition to the human family. What we celebrate, what makes this birth of special importance is that, in this instance alone, God became man.

All of this would seem to suggest that it is far less important to focus on the child born at Bethlehem than it is to establish a relationship with the man, Jesus. At the point where some are thinking that Jesus is out of his mind these people are remembering the child, the one they watched grow up in Nazareth. They could remember his simplicity and innocence, even his precociousness. And, while it may be endearing to watch a child grow and become a man, it is not possible to have a mature relationship between the two. 

Having a relationship with Jesus, like any mature relationship between adults, requires knowing more than the child. Such a relationship is not so much a product of observation as it is a product of regular, even frequent, personal contact.