A woman praises the Mother of Jesus.

(Luke 11:27-28; Math. 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21).

One woman was so astonished by the Lord’s sermon that she could not contain her elation, and publicly praised Him and His Blessed Mother, Who was outside their house with his perceived brothers (Mat. 12:46 and Mark 3:31). According to tradition, this woman was Martha’s servant (Luke 10:38), Marcella. That’s why on Mother of God’s feast-day, this fragment is always joined to the Scripture narrating the Lord’s visit to Maria and Martha, and is read as one Gospel.

“Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You (Luke 11:27), or in other words: blessed is She Who gave birth and brought up such a Teacher. It is at this point of time, that the glorification of the Mother of God commences in fulfilment of Her own prediction: “Henceforth, all generations shall call Me Blessed.” Saint Evangelist Matthew points out, that it was specifically at this particular time when the Mother of God and the perceived brothers were outside the house, and sent a message to tell Him that they were unable to squeeze their way through, because of the crush of people surrounding Him. The Lord always nurtured gentle feelings toward His Mother, and even when He was crucified, was still concerned about Her and charged His beloved disciple, Apostle John with Her care. However, at this moment, in exclaiming His teachings to the people, He showed them that fulfilment of the Heavenly Father’s will is greater His familial feelings: “Whoever does the will of My Father in Heaven is My brother and sister and Mother” (Mat. 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21).

The mention here of Christ’s brothers in some sections of the Gospel, are named as: James, Joses, Simon and Judas (Mat. 13:54-56). In comparing the narrations of all four Evangelists, it can be seen that the mother of all these “brothers” of Christ was Maria Clopas, who is referred to by Saint John as “His Mother’s sister” (John 19:25). Maria Clopas was regarded as first cousin to the Mother of God, inasmuch as She was the sole daughter of Joachim and Anna. According to one tradition, this Maria was the wife of Clopas, who was in fact the father of Christ’s “brothers.” While according to another, these “brothers” were Joseph the Betrothed’s children from his first marriage. In order to bring both traditions to accord, it can be safely accepted that the “brothers” were sons of Joseph, and (according to the law covering kindred ties) the wife of his brother that had died childless, or a close relative of Maria Clopas. In any case, to the Jews, “brothers” meant not only their blood brothers, but also first and second cousins, and close relatives in general.