John 19:26-27, “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.”

Try to picture it—Jesus, barely able to breathe, bloodied, and broken on the cross. And in the middle of all that pain, He looks down and sees His mom. She’s watching her son suffer, powerless to do anything. Next to her stands John, the disciple Jesus was closest to. Instead of thinking about His own pain He considers them. Jesus ensures they won’t have to endure the next season alone.

“Woman, behold, your son.”

“Behold, your mother.”

With those words, Jesus does more than give Mary a place to stay—He redefines family. Jesus shows us that, in Him, relationships go beyond our flesh and blood. The Church isn't just a crowd of people who believe the same thing. It's a home, a family, a place where no one gets left behind. Church is where we put on one another's pain as we help each other carry our burdens.

It’s easy to miss how personal this is. Jesus wasn’t just saving the world in some over the top, detached way, but also caring for two people He loved. And He calls us to do the same: to take care of the people God puts in our lives, to be family to those who need it. Who in your life needs to know they’re not alone? Maybe today, like Mary and John, Jesus simply wants to remind you that He sees you, and that His nearness of presence means that you are not alone.

Who in your life needs to know they have a place, a family, in Christ? And who can you reach out to today to let them know that they are not alone?

Ask God to help you see the people around you as Jesus does. Pray for an open heart, ready to invite others in and love them like family.