New Relatives

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest 

and Doctor of the Church

~~~ 2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Mark 3:31-35 ~~~

“Who are my mother and my brothers?”

I used to be shocked by these words
until I learned to see them differently.

Jesus' family did not really fully understand that he
had to go out to the people.
Inside Jesus was teaching those
who would become his disciples...his new family.

Jesus could not rely on his immediate family to be his disciples.
He had to go out to the people. He had to make his mission known.
Those who came to listen to him teach were usually
the ones who then became his disciples.

His family came because they loves him and wanted him to be safe.
Jesus knew that being safe was not going to be
the way of his life.

...For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.

Doing the will of God is what is required to become a true disciple.

Knowing the will of God is not enough;
one must do the will of God.

We must go forth practicing
and spreading the message of salvation.
Once we have become a disciple we will also
be a part of the family...
the family of Jesus.

Would you have been sitting in that group
 around Jesus that day?

Through his blessings we are in His family too.