72. Who Are Blessed. Spiritual Kinship With the Lord. Lk. 11:27–28; Mt. 12:46–50; Mk. 3:31–35; Lk. 8:19–21

As He was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him: “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts at which You nursed!” But He said: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

While He was saying these things to the crowd, His mother and His brothers came, and standing outside, they wanted to speak to Him. And they stood outside, wanting to speak with Him, but they could not come to Him because of the crowd. So those standing outside sent someone to call Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and someone told Him: “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and want to speak with You.”

But He answered the one who told Him this: “Who is My mother? And who are My brothers?” Then, pointing to His disciples, He looked around at those seated about Him and said: “Here are My mother and My brothers.”

For My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. For whoever does the will of God, the will of My Father in heaven, that one is My brother and sister and mother.