This scripture (Mark 3:31-35) has been rolling around in my head recently. To me, his reply of “Who are my mother and brothers?” always feels out of character for me. They told Jesus his mother and disciples are waiting for Him. What’s with the rhetorical question? Why is He denying them? However, when you look closer you realize Jesus isn’t denying them. Instead, He is revealing an important truth here. We are all family in the body of Christ.
I know some Protestants consider this passage a demonstration of Mary not being important, but what Jesus is actually saying is we are ALL important. His mother’s importance does not make you less important in this family. His mother’s place of honor does not take away from the redemption we receive in Christ. We all play a role in this family, not simply His mother and His disciples. We all have a purpose for which we have been created.
In our Church family, we are called to be mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters beyond the limit of our household family. Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ can become mothers and fathers to us in moments of crisis, grief, or despair, especially if they have lived through a similar experience.
Many mothers and fathers walk together through certain stages of life as brothers and sisters in Christ. The accompaniment is a way to strengthen and encourage one another to be faithful daily to whatever God is calling us to, to share His love, and to be open to His Holy Spirit.
When He says in the Gospel, these are my mother and brothers. He is talking about us. You and me. We are His mother and brothers. He wants us to nurture others in our Christian family. He wants us walking side by side with others on this faith journey leading to heaven. He wants our bonds to be as strong as bloodlines, unmistakably interlinked to one another.
So, I say to you, “Who is my mother and my brothers?” My list of names runs long. Pam, Matt (multiple), Daniele (multiple Danielles), Chris, Bernard, Amy, Frank, Bobby, Katherine, Amanda, CJ, Tony, Kristy, Yana, Erin, Claire, Mike, Kim, Kate, Heather, Nancy, Deirdre, Earl, Gloria, my Dayton family, and I could go on and on…What a family?! Relationships forged through living life together, walking in faith, shoulders to lean on, and ears to listen. Wisdom to learn from and understanding only the Holy Spirit can inspire.
I have even more if I were to include my actual relatives, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and cousins, who have taught me to keep the faith, how to weather storms, and cling to hope in Jesus. My family is widespread in their varieties of Christianity and that’s OK. We learn from one another in our differences and in our shared beliefs.
So today, I invite you to ask yourself, “Who is my mother and my brothers?” And when you say, “These are my mother and brothers,” list their names and say a little prayer of Thanksgiving to this amazingly diverse and wonderful family God has given us through faith in Him.
All glory to God!
This was cross-posted on my Substack. Please join me over there as I will phase out this portion of my website for blogging.
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