The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers 
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
(Lk 8:19-21)

Luke’s version of Jesus and his family is much softer than Mark’s version where the family thinks that Jesus is out of his mind. Perhaps, family is just that . . . family. No matter how much you might want that “Kodak moment” family, it probably never existed and never will. The wonderful good news is that God doesn't have this problem.  All of us get to become members of Jesus’ new family of grace—not by accident of birth, but by God’s choosing!

Today is my feast day, Saint Maurice & Companions!