While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. (Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.") But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." (Mt 12:46-50
Most of us speak in human terms and conditions. We see the reality and relationship on earthy terms. Physical and biological reasons are the basis for our doings and speaking. When we see a person we think of him in terms of his place of origins, his language, culture, caste and religion. And we stop with that.
Jesus does not limit his thinking in earthly terms. He goes beyond. For him there is only one relationship. It is with this that the people of Israel were formed when they left Egypt and it with this relationship they continued their living in the wilderness and later on in the land of Canaan. When they failed the prophets came to remind them of this and now Jesus has come to demonstrate that to the people.
This relationship is “one God and one people”. There is no other relationship that existed for the biblical people. That is why Jesus could boldly say, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."
