The Inner Circle of Jesus!

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gn 3:9-15; 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mk 3:20-35

The tenth Sunday helps us to reflect on the diverse nature of the inner and the outer (world, self, and circle) and invites us to carefully choose our response. 

We want to belong to Jesus’ inner circle as a result of our enlightenment in the process. 

The Divide: The first reading highlights the divide between the inner and outer worlds. Insightfully, it emphasizes the fact that our response to any outward stimuli often points to our inward orientations. In the example of the first reading, the response given by Adam and Eve to the temptations of the devil demonstrates their sinful aspirations (opposition to God’s Word, desire for immortality, and omnipotence). Hence, what looks like an insignificant outward act of ‘eating’ the fruit of the forbidden tree reveals a disordered human self that manifests an inclination toward evil. 

God’s punishment for such evil inclinations and acts is immediate. 

The Connection: The second reading highlights the exchange that should characterize the inner and outer selves, though the concentration is given to shaping our inner selves so that our response to any outward stimuli would be based on our faith in Christ. Paul makes it clear that any outward suffering does not have to lead to inner despair. Rather, he explains that outward suffering can lead to inner renewal. For Paul, the outward suffering is light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory that comes from God. Paul wants us to see that there is more to look at than the problems. Though he does not ignore the outward suffering, he fixes his gaze on things that cannot be seen. Paul’s strong faith in the Lord helps him attain such maturity so that he finds outward sufferings as an avenue to turn the inner self toward the Lord, who has promised us eternal glory. Hence, in Paul’s view, the outer and inner selves need not be divided. On the contrary, our outward experiences should shape our inner selves to turn to the Lord. 

The Choice: In the Gospel, we find Jesus battling with an inner and outer circle. Though the inner circle refers to his immediate family, it is not limited to that. Rather, the inner circle includes the believing community, which is more relational thanks to the faith it expresses in Christ. If faith in Christ becomes the foundational tenet of the believing community, it culminates in doing God’s Will, following the example of the Founder himself. Faith in Christ empowers us with the capacity to transcend our immediate family and express our oneness with the believing community. This is how the faith community becomes the immediate family for Christians. 

However, the outer circle of Jesus remains estranged from him because it is hostile and inimical. Because the outer circle does not believe in Jesus, it lacks the ability to transcend whatever is immediate, and it cannot see beyond such limitations. Moreover, the outer circle, represented by the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes, blasphemes against the Holy Spirit when it falsely attributes the goodness of the Lord as having its origin in Satan. The enemies of Jesus could not recognize the truth that Jesus comes from God, and therefore, all that he does is inspired by God and not by Satan. Their disbelief, blindness, and evil orientations keep them in the outer circle, never to be part of the inner circle of Jesus or benefit from it. 

The Gospel invites us to wisely choose between the two circles. 

When we choose to remain with the Lord as His friends, then we will be able to express our relationship with the believing community that does God’s will. 

The inner circle of Jesus is privileged with faith, transcendence, and action, all in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar