Gospel: Today Jesus is confronted by his family, who have come to Capernaum all the way from Nazareth (Mt. 12). Why? Mark's Gospel tells us: they thought he was "out of his mind" and so they come to "restrain" him. This part of Jesus's life is often ignored: conflicts... 
...with his family early in his public ministry. Even Mary comes from Nazareth to confront him. (It's what would be called today a "family intervention.")
But when Jesus is told that his mother and brothers are outside, he says, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”...
But when Jesus is told that his mother and brothers are outside, he says, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”...
Matthew's Gospel tells the rest of the story: "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.'"
It's a surprising reading for those accustomed to thinking of his mother and extended family as always supportive and understanding. Mary was a faithful disciple, and remained with Jesus at the Cross, but early on, Jesus seems to have engendered confusion among his family...
John R. Donahue, the NT scholar, pointed out to me the "inside-outside" quality of this narrative. Jesus is sitting inside a house in Capernaum, and his family is outside. So there are those who "get him" and those who do not....
Jesus loved his family deeply and they loved him. And Mary and Jesus obviously loved one another deeply. But for Jesus, ties to the Father were more important than ties to family.
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