"Who are my mother and my brothers?'
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
- Mark 3:33-35
So what does this mean for us today. The most obvious insight to take away from this reading is that we should treat everyone equally. We should not look down on any person because of who they are or where they come from. Instead, we should try to make everyone feel as welcome as a member of our own families. This is harder than it seems. It means not avoiding that person at work who is always asking us questions or annoying us. It means being kind to the person at the store who cuts us off with their shopping cart. It means acknowledging the dignity of the homeless person on the side of the road rather than pretending not to see him. Living as Jesus taught us is challenging. It requires us to step out of our comfort zone and change how we behave. Always remember St. Paul's words to the Romans: "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." If we do this and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can remake the world and transform our lives and the lives of those around us.