“Then (Jesus) went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him . . . And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:20-21, 31,33-35

Jesus changed the narrative. He changed the narrative of what it meant to be faithful, living out ones devotion to God. He pressed against the limits of those who would equate faithfulness to keeping the six hundred and thirteen, impossible for average people to keep, laws of the first century Jewish faith. Jesus saw the crippling effect such laws brought people who labored in the nation’s underclass.

So he changed the narrative, from  pointing to a God who demanded multiple levels of obedience in small stuff, to the one who loves us,  wanting what is good for all of God’s children. Naming justice, mercy, and compassion as the dominant role of faithfulness and love for God. He insisted love for God was only real, when it included love for neighbor.

No wonder his family was anxious for him! No wonder they worried about him and headed out to bring him home!

People were talking about their son and brother, asking questions of who he was, and more importantly who he thought he was. By then significant healings had taken place through Jesus. Which must have made his family proud. It was the rest of his talk that created worry.

Jesus’ sparring with Pharisees and his off the cuff parables that set conventional wisdom to the side, caused them to question what he was thinking.

Did he ever meet with his family that day? Scripture does not record an answer. But I doubt, a determined mother, named Mary, would do anything but wait her son out, until he explained himself to her.  Waiting until he told her not to worry, and she was assured her son was well.

And only then, resumed his message that the Kingdom of God was at hand . . . Having named any who sought to do God’s will, as brothers and sisters in his family tree.