The Family of Disciples!

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

2 Sam 6:12b-15, 17-19; Mk 3:31-35

Today’s Gospel invites us to become members of God’s family. 

The text presents an interesting scenario. While Jesus’ mother and brothers are waiting ‘outside’ after sending word of their arrival, Jesus invites those who are ‘inside’ to belong to the enlarged family of God. 

When Jesus affirms, ‘Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother,’ he explains that membership in this new family is based on faith and obedience and not on bloodline and kinship.

This newer understanding removes all human-made obstacles to belonging to God’s family because Jesus has extended the membership indiscriminately to all by placing emphasis on faith and obedience. This new family of Jesus’ disciples is eternal in nature.

Jesus extends the idea of spiritual siblings as a beautiful possibility to all those who express their faith in him. Hence, with Jesus, we form a new family. With Jesus, we become a new family. With Jesus, we find a new family. In their love for Jesus, all the disciples are united as siblings.

The generous invitation of Jesus expects that we belong to the family of disciples. We must note that we do God’s will not only by following the abstract moral principles to individual perfection but also by helping others reach the same destiny in a selfless manner. 

Let us pray that we may learn the art of belonging to the ‘Family of Disciples of Jesus.’

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar