Family Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
(John 19:25-27) Wednesday, Holy Week Visit, O Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, and keep all harm and danger far from them. Grant that we may dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy angels, sharing eternally in Your blessings; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen Dear friends, There was something special about the relationship between Jesus’ mother and her son. Joseph was not Jesus biological dad, yet Jesus was born of Mary. The mystery of this is great indeed. Mary heard from the angel Gabriel that her son would not be ordinary, but “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1) After Jesus was born, Simeon prophesied that Jesus was going to cause the rising and falling of many in Israel, and that people would speak against him. He also told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul too. One can only imagine the agony and pain that Mary experienced as she watched her son suffer on the cross. Unbearable is the grief of a parent who witnesses the death of their own child. Did Mary understand in that moment that this was God’s plan all along? Pain and suffering bring to light what is most important in one’s life. If you only had one hour to live, what would you say to your loved ones? For Jesus, his mother was on his heart. He knew that he would no longer be able to care for her. So He now delegates this responsibility to his closest disciple, John. John graciously accepts, and immediately begins to care for Mary as if she were his own mother. Tradition says that John took Mary to his home and Mary lived with him another eleven years before he closed her eyes in death. Today think about your family. If they are still alive, are you able to reach out to them? If possible do that. Then take a second look. Are there others who don’t have family that you could reach out to and encourage? Over the years our home has been a haven for many who had no place to go. They have become part of our family, and we love them as our own. They are precious in our eyes, as they are in the eyes of Jesus. If you have some time, take a moment to meditate on Proverbs chapter 1, and/or Ephesians 3:14-21. Ponder how our relations with parents parallel our relationship with God. One in Christ,
Pastor Langdon Reinke P.S. Hope you and your family are healthy and safe. We are in this together. We have help available if there are needs. Please let me know. | 
