We Are Family John 19:26-27

When I thought about a communion meditation for Mother's Day a text immediately came to mind, John 19:26-27, where Jesus is on the cross. He hangs there in agony but when he looks down and sees his mother and the man called his beloved disciple, often identified as John, he says, "Woman, behold your son" and to the disciple, "behold your mother."

Most interpreters see this as a loving son making sure that his mother is taken care of after he dies. Joseph is probably dead, at least he is never mentioned after the birth accounts in Matthew and Luke. Although Jesus had four brothers who are named in Mark 6 we are told by John in chapter 7 that they did not believe in him. And in both Matthew and Mark we are told of a time when they thought Jesus had "lost his senses" (Mt 12; Mk 3). Maybe Jesus thought that he could rely on this beloved disciple more than his brothers to look after a destitute widow.

But there may be a deeper meaning here. John's gospel is well known for stories that have both surface and deeper meanings. In this case he seems to be saying to Mary and John, you are family now, immediate family, and by extension he could be saying to all who come to the foot of the cross, you are my family. When we gather at the cross we are family. Earlier in the Gospel Jesus had said about his death on the cross, "If I am lifted up, I will draw all people to me" (12:32). The Gospel, like a powerful magnet, draws us together as his family. this idea of being family is supported by images used in other places of the church being the household of faith.

One day last week I was skimming through the obituaries in our local newspaper when the last sentence of one caught my eye. It was for a woman named Gloria Adams who died on April 9, one month from today. All I know about her is what I read in the brief article. It pleased me to read that she was highly respected by people in the business world and that she loved to fish and ski and was a very good golfer. But what struck me was that not a single relative or family member was listed as a survivor. She had not married, apparently, and I thought to myself, she died without a family. But then I read that last sentence: "A special thanks ... to her family at Restoration Fellowship" (a church in Springfield). Yes, she did have a family. All who gather at the cross and call Jesus Lord are family, brothers and sisters in Christ. I wonder if they sang at her memorial service, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God."

To his brothers at the table in the upper room, and to us, Jesus said, "This bread is my body, given for you ... this cup is my blood, shed for you." As the family of God we say together our confession of faith.

Postscript: After this Mother's Day meditation a relatively new couple in our church said they had been in the church with Gloria Adams for several years, had attended her memorial service, which they said was packed, and expressed appreciation for the emphasis on her family-church relationship.