46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12)
This series of sayings by Jesus does seem to be "hard", and even at times harsh. This one is similar to Paul's statement that it the relationship of Christ and His Church that existed before the foundation of the world, and that marriage and the relationship and husband and wife merely mirrors that relationship. It is hard to wrap our brain around the fact that in the mind of God Church precedes family. But it works its way out in how we often refer to "the church family." This is by no means allowing for the neglect of family relationships or responsibilities, but rather that a deeper tie, a spiritual tie, to God and His family is possible than to one's physical family. Our relationship within each one should help us understand the other better, and also help us do better in our responsibilities there. Rather than "either/or", it is "both/and."
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